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There was a place known as the Hill of Promise. It lay on the outskirts of the town, a bit far from the center of the royal capital.

In spring, the flowers were in full bloom; in summer, the green young grass grew thick; and in autumn, a carpet of red fallen leaves was laid. In winter, deep snow piled up, creating a beautiful and fantastic scene.

The Hill of Promise lay atop cliffs. It featured a huge stone monument rising in a place overlooking the Mutian Sea, which led to the northern continent.

This monument was a one of artistic dignity erected for Orthus, the hero who’d laid his life protecting the kingdom during the Elugor Disaster.

Hundreds of thousands of people visited this place every year, both from the kingdom and abroad, to pray that his soul might rest in peace. Although now was not the time for paying respects, the number of visitors was still substantial, and the great achievements and popularity that the hero bequeathed to this era were obvious to anyone.

Aphia tightened her grip slightly as she approached the cobblestones leading up to the monument. Clutching a blue flower in her hand, she walked with confidence. Every time she came here, she felt a sense of resolve and carried a slight sadness in her heart.

“……”

As she walked up the gentle slope, the soles of her leather boots firmly catching the feel of the cobblestones, the top of the stone monument finally came into view. And then…

“Ah…”

Unexpectedly, she saw a familiar figure in front of the stone monument. Its usual jet-black armor and jade cloak were missing, but that meticulous-looking figure was without a doubt that of a man she knew well.

“Commander.” When Aphia called out to him, the man turned around slowly. His eyebrows gave off a strong presence, and his mouth was drawn into a straight line.

The man was so large that he seemed to completely cover the petite Aphia. That was none other than Loggins, the Commander of the Royal Knights of the Kingdom of Elugor. Loggins looked surprised when he saw Aphia.

“Aphia… you’re here too, what a coincidence.”
“Are you off duty, Commander?”
“Yes. It’s already afternoon.”

In Loggins’ hand, he held a single blue flower, similar to the one Aphia had. Thousands of these flowers were also placed in front of the monument. All of the flowers were brand new and still fresh, indicating that countless people had visited the monument recently.

Loggins kneeled down and gently placed his flower among the others, then placed his right hand over his heart and bowed his head. Aphia followed suit, standing next to him in a similar manner.

They closed their eyes and bowed their heads, the gentle sound of waves and soft wind quietly nestling in their ears.

“……”

After a few moments, they both stood up.

“No matter when I come, there are always so many flowers,” Aphia said.

Loggins’ eyes narrowed serenely as he spoke, tucking his flaxen hair behind his ears.

“Yes. It’s not even time for paying respects. I can’t begin to imagine just how many people Sir Or managed to save and how many people loved him… He was the true embodiment of the word hero.”

The slightly weak and troubled smile on Loggins’ face was a discovery for Aphia, who had only known him in his normal, cutthroat manner.

“Do you come here often, Commander?”
“Not really. But I try to come when I’m feeling overwhelmed or when I’m stuck in my thoughts. I feel like I can find strength here.”
“What is troubling you now, Commander?”

Loggins’ face turned stupefied as he heard Aphia ask him that question, implying that he spoke too much. He didn’t like to show weakness to others.

“Pretend you didn’t hear what I said just now.”
“I see…”
“That aside, do you come here often?”
“Yes, almost every day, in fact.”
“Every day? That’s surprising.”

Loggins said with a shocked expression. He could understand coming here every time she had a vacation, but visiting every day after completing duties and training was quite a challenge.

However, labeling it as a challenge might have been a bit of an exaggeration. Regardless, even if someone was meeting their lover, they would have to be extremely passionate to travel this distance back and forth every day.

There were also bound to be rainy days and even days when one felt down. Yet Aphia still came despite those…

“……?” Aphia tilted her head slightly with a confused expression on her face.

Loggins began thinking about what he’d said just now, wondering if he’d said something he shouldn’t have. Yet Aphia simply waited for him, not correcting him or trying to shame him. She remained magnanimous.

‘Aphia really is…’ Shivers ran down Loggins’ back as he imagined the kind of dedication Aphia had towards Orthus.

He’d never imagined that the woman he’d simply seen as an excellent knight would turn out to be such a fanatic.

‘Though I guess it’s still too early to label her as a fanatic. Maybe she’s just an above-average fan of his.’ Loggins thought, shaking his head.

He was a bit ashamed of himself for thinking something like that about his fellow companion.

Aphia, in turn, looked at him with concern in her gaze.

“Is there something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“It seems you have a lot going on as well, Commander.”
“You could say that. By the way, are you free after this?”
“What? What do you mean by that?” Aphia asked with a surprised tone.
“I’m inviting you to dinner, of course.”
“WHAT?!”

Her surprise was so unreserved that Loggins couldn’t help but smile.

“You don’t need to force yourself.”
“N-No! Of course not! I’m honored! I would love to accompany you.”

Aphia, who thought of Loggins as the very embodiment of stiffness, had never expected him to invite her to dinner. She was delighted at the idea of spending time with a knight she admired.

Loggins, in turn, had extended the invitation for the simple reason that he wanted to atone for his rude thoughts about Aphia. However, there was no way for any of them to know what the other was thinking.