A week had passed since the war ended.
It was a level of anguish comparable to, or perhaps even exceeding, the time I had devised a plan for the war against Manggot.
'...What should I do with Selena?'
Yes, my concern was Selena's treatment.
Since I had said goodbye to Selena, our employment relationship had been terminated. Selena had also accepted this.
Although Selena had asked me to "save her" right before we parted, that was just a request, and it didn't necessarily define our relationship.
Of course, I would keep my promise to Selena. I would find her family, 'Vanier', and take her there. Now that Manggot had fallen, I could start working on that.
However, or rather because of that, perhaps it was right to part ways with Selena at that time.
Selena was beautiful and wise. Moreover, she was a master of close combat who could become a pro or a knight. As long as she hid her habit of assassinating well, she could do anything excellently. If she wanted, she could now live a life unrelated to fighting.
...It would be a waste to keep her as my escort. Above all, would Selena even want that?
"And yet, you ended up coming here anyway."
I stopped in the open space behind the mansion and sighed.
This was where Selena and I met and talked. This was also the place where we parted ways in the end.
As expected, I needed Selena. I was overwhelmingly lacking in experience in close combat, and I couldn't predict every situation.
If a sudden attack occurred, it would be very reassuring to have Selena. This was especially true now that this world had entered a phase I didn't know about.
But Selena wouldn't need me anymore. There was no need to act as a double spy anymore, and naturally, there was no need to learn the ancient language.
I quietly opened my mouth in the empty space.
"...What should I do with you, Sele-"
Before I could even finish her name, a person popped out. It was Selena, of course.
I stared blankly at Selena, who appeared behind me.
Selena's outfit was one of the clothes I had given her.
"When did you reconnect your shadow?"
Selena's eyes slowly shifted to the side.
"Perhaps, was it at the end of that war, then?"
The combination of my workshop and Osprey's spatial magic that occurred during the battle with Belphegor.
Many Constel students, including Selena, moved from the Empire to Manggot through the workshop door.
I was busy fighting Belphegor, but that was probably when Selena was closest to me.
So it was the perfect time to reconnect the shadow, and I wasn't dissatisfied with the fact that Selena was reconnected to my shadow.
"...Selena, it's been a week since that war ended."
"If you had connected the shadow, you should have come sooner."
That's right. If I had known she had already connected the shadow, my worries wouldn't have been so deep. It wouldn't have taken a week in the first place.
This concern was not only about my intentions but also about Selena's intentions.
If she set her mind to it, it would be very difficult for me to find her. The Empire was vast, as long as she didn't come to Constel.
But Selena looked up at me and tilted her head as if to ask, "What do you mean?"
"Since Frondier-nim didn't call me, I naturally didn't show myself."
"We've always been , haven't we?"
I looked at Selena quietly.
I looked at her face, which seemed to have no shame as she looked up at the sky, for a long time.
'...This shameless girl.'
Selena was going beyond whether or not to be an escort again, and was acting as if she had been the original escort from the beginning.
As if we had never parted ways.
Moreover, with her improved acting skills, the way she looked at me slyly made me wonder if she had really forgotten everything.
"...Then why didn't you show yourself even at the mansion?"
"I returned from my dispatch to Manggot."
...Dispatch. What a ridiculous setting.
'Okay. If that's what Selena wants.'
I welcomed it. If she acted like nothing had happened, there was no reason for me to not accept it.
"Selena, then let me ask you one thing."
"Are you hurt anywhere from Manggot?"
"It might have been unnecessary meddling, but in the outfit you're wearing now, I took some precautions..."
I had inserted a needle containing Slauv's poison. Selena would have noticed it.
I thought I would be somewhat proud if it had helped, and when I looked at her again.
Selena's eyes suddenly welled up, and tears streamed down her face.
As if she had only just realized she was crying, Selena lowered her head and wiped her eyes in a fluster.
Of course, I was also flustered.
Was this acting too? I had given up on seeing through Selena's acting, so I was even more confused at times .
Selena muttered while sniffling.
"...As much as possible."
"As much as possible?"
"I was trying to forget as much as possible."
Was my arrangement that bad? I thought it was a decent device.
I didn't know how Selena fought inside Manggot, but the needle I gave her didn't seem to have any effect.
...Judging by her reaction, it might have hindered her rather than helped.
'Come to think of it, I only know about the structure of attaching and injecting needles, I don't know what kind of abnormalities occur when only one is inserted.'
Since I always insert needles in multiples of four, could it be that there was a problem when only one was inserted? My consideration was lacking.
"...Ahem. Anyway, it's a good thing. I have something to tell you."
I pushed aside my slightly hurt feelings and changed the subject.
"It's a vacation for the time being. You've made a great contribution in this war, so think of it as part of the reward. You can go somewhere fun, or stay at the mansion. You can go to Constel when classes start again. I recommend that. Everyone wanted to see you."
"What's going on? If you're going somewhere, I'll follow you."
"I am going somewhere, but I don't want to show it to you."
If Selena's treatment was my concern, this matter was my hardship.
"You don't want to show it to me? Where are you going? Is it that dangerous?"
"Yes. It's a very dangerous place. I didn't tell you. You were in Manggot."
I had met several conditions to minimize the damage of the war with Manggot.
And to fulfill those conditions, I had also made a few promises.
Now it was time to fulfill those promises.
"...Where are you going, what are you going to do? I've told you many times, but I will follow you to the ends of hell and protect Frondier-nim."
Selena's expression hardened. In an instant, I could see the determination in her eyes.
I was swept away by her momentum and spoke without realizing it.
"...I'm going to sell my soul to the devil."
"Sorry, it's a figurative expression. I didn't mean it literally."
I said that to reassure Selena.
But while I was speaking, something bothered me.
"...The metaphor might be right."
I just had to add that unnecessary remark.