《Ferris's perspective》.

　For a while, we stared at each other.

　Milly, who had a surprised look on her face, narrows her eyes slightly.

Why the hell are you here? I felt like hearing those words.

'I'm sorry, ....... It's late at night and I'm intruding. I need to talk to you about something."

　When I did not respond, Lina, who was standing behind me, took a step forward.

　Milly's gaze turned towards Lina.

'All right. Please come inside.'

　Milly looked at me once as if she wanted to say something, and then invited us into the camp.

――

　Inside, there were lamps, blankets, beds and bottles of water. It was simple, with just the bare minimum of necessities.

　There was no guest room, not even a dining room or a table.

　I felt a little uncomfortable because I now live in a ridiculous castle fortress that Kaim built in a fit of pique, but I used to live in the same kind of environment.

It was even worse after I became a slave of Reis.

'Please sit down in the Texan.'

　Saying this, Milly sits on the futon.

　We sat on the sheet opposite, which separated us from the cold ground.

'So, what's the deal?'

　Milly's tone of voice is anything but polite.

　She looked at me - as if she wanted an explanation from me.

　I took a deep breath and turned to her.

　Then I spoke out in a rush.

I want you to escape with us. Milly is now being targeted by the Principality of Aricklais. If Milly is caught, terrible things will happen to the whole country. So, please escape with us..."

"I'm sorry, I can't do that."

　As if to cover my plea, she denied it categorically.

　--I knew that. I knew what she was going to say.

I'm sorry, but I don't have time to go into details. Even as we speak, they are after you. If possible, I would like to take you to a safer place and then talk to you."

　On my behalf, Lina tries to persuade her.

　But even so, Milly just shook her head.

'Hey, Ferris. I'm - I'm glad you're alive. I had half given up, thinking you were dead."

　Millie speaks out with a somewhat sad expression on her face.

'But now that I know you're alive, I'm both happy and impossibly hateful at the same time.

'That's ......."

'Hey, why did you break your promise?　Why did you come to ...... me now?"

　I couldn't look directly into Milly's face.

　--She lost her parents a few years ago.

 

　I was happy to get along with my peers, but Milly was never good at socialising.

　She wasn't always that physically strong, and many days she slept in her tent.

　The only friend she had was me, whom she met accidentally.

 

　So when she lost her parents - I was the only person she could rely on.

　At that time, I made a promise to the completely exhausted Milly.

　-I'll come back to Millie's house tomorrow to pick you up again. So from now on, we'll both live in my house...

　Milly nodded her head repeatedly while crying, clinging to her last hope of being able to rely on me.

　But - that promise was never kept.

　On the evening of the day we made the promise, I was taken away by Reis's men and turned into a slave.

　How did Milly feel about my inability to keep my promise?　How did she feel waiting for me?

　Can I, who betrayed her in any way, say that I have come for her after all this time? I don't have the ...... right to do that.

'I've been waiting for Ferris for a long time. And now ...... you want me to come with you after all this time, what?　What are you up to now?　Answer me!"

'That's .......'

　I gritted my teeth and tried to speak with resolution.

　Even if it would be a defense, even if it would sound like an excuse, I still had to tell the truth. If I don't first clear up this misconception, I won't be able to protect her.

　But - the world was cruel at times.

"!?, "

　Suddenly, Lina's eyes narrow sharply and she draws her sword.

　'No way..."

"They've come!

'Mm. At this important time, they can't read the air.

　As soon as Lina snarls, the roof of the tent is blown off.

　The soldiers in the armour of the Principality of Arikreth Swordsmen jumped at us all at once from the darkness of the night.