THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

FRANKHER KOERSOMBRE POV:

"Sir Frankher, I would like to know the details of what happened during that operation, please."

"I had thought you were already informed."

I don't know how you heard about this since only the king and I should have known until now.  Or maybe the priests who are healing Mister Dragonroad and Miss Vonild told him. But who could have informed them? Peter has been brought to my mansion already, together with the two people they brought back.

"No, as I said, I only heard of it."

"I see. Well…" Miss Farner is looking at me with more intensity than ever. "The goal of our operation was to secure intel and proofs of Flolerl's family involvement with the Longinus. We had our reason to believe that they were cooperating with them.."

"We did as well nothing serious until now."

"Is that so?" Of course, you had. You brought me Mister Dragonroad for that purpose. Maybe that's how he understood. The degree of his injuries was disastrous after all. "In any case, we have sent ten people to investigate the different places that we were suspecting. Among those ten people were four students of the eternal academy."

"You guys have sent children on such kind of missions?"

William speaks with disgust hearing that there were students participating in this mission.

"Protector."

"I am sorry, high commander."

"Please continue, sir Frankher."

"Ahem…From the report that came back, the forces in place were largely composed of Longinus. There were men as well but most of them were turning into Longinus as well. One member of the Grandcross family was also confirmed on site. Borgas Grandcross."

"Oh…Does it mean the Grandcross family is involved as well?"

"It would seem so, indeed."

"I see."

"No…" Miss Roxcia lets her emotions come out as she hears that. Her friendship with miss Nikitis is really great.

"The most important fact is something else, however."

"Let us hear it."

"During their escape, the people who we sent encountered what we believe to be a dragon."

"What?!!"

Once again, the whole room vibrates with screams.

"Is that for real?!!"

"They have dragons?!! It's impossible!!"

"This is bullshit!"

"Calm down!! All of you!"

It is not Dilt but Miss Farner who shouts in order to bring order to this chaos. Her eyes are now throwing spears at me. I know what she wants to hear but she will certainly not be satisfied by the answer.

"Thank you, Miss Farner. Please continue, sir Frankher." Dilt doesn't look surprised by this news. Was he anticipating something like this?

"That was about it for the report I have received. They were also able to bring two people back from there who were apparently prisoners. But we will need to question them further once they are healed to know exactly-"

"Please, tell us the most important!"

"Calm down, Farner."

Miss Farner finally bursts, only to be reprimanded by her sister, Miss Roxcia. Well, I can hide the truth any longer.

"Fuu…Miss Farner, concerning the casualties, which I suppose is what interested you the most right now, from the ten people we have sent, only three came back."

"Only three? You said you have sent four students. How-"

"The students who participated in this mission were Cordel Ditorria, Esteressa Vonild, Peter Kranhff, and Kevin Dragonroad."

"Dragonroad…Isn't that the guy who helped us last time, Protector?" That commander…Ah, yeah, I remember now. He was fighting with us against the Longinus prince.

"He is. They call him the Star of Mercuria now, I believe."

"Ahem…"

"Sorry." Miss Farner is about to murder someone.

"The six knights that went are all dead. And among the students, Cordel Ditorria was killed as well."

"No way…"

"How can this be…"

The heroes' eyes change and tears start gathering on them. Their faces become pale as well.

"…What about…What about the others?" Miss Farner…

"Mister Peter only has minor injuries and is already in shape. Miss Vonild has suffered a rather serious injury on her arm but she is already healed…"

"Sir?"

"Miss Farner, it would be better that you don't hear the rest now."

She stands up straight as I say that but right when she is about to move from her seat. Not only Dilt, even the pope and the Saintess release their aura. I almost faint from the pressure created instantly. This is clearly not for my age anymore.

"Miss Farner, sit down. This meeting isn't over."

"You have no right to hold me here."

To my surprise, Miss Farner is resisting that pressure rather easily…Or not. Her eyes are shining gold as well.

"Farner, you better sit down before this turns into something else." Even the Saintess is threatening her now? I don't want to imagine what would happen if they all fight now.

"Sister, please…" Finally, Miss Excia grabs her hand and like the key that should open a door, the pressure disappears. All of them return to normal and miss Farner sits back down, though her face clearly indicates her desire to smash something.

"Sir Frankher. You didn't talk about one member." Now, even Dilt wants to know what happened. Is it really good to tell them, though?

"…Mister Dragonroad engaged the dragon that was mentioned earlier in order for the other members to evacuate easier. Sadly, he wasn't strong enough. His arms, his stomach, and the lower half of his body are severely damaged. In fact, it is a pure miracle that he is alive, though it might not be for long."

"Engaging a dragon alone…Is that guy stupi-"

One of the nobles comments on Mister Kevin's actions with a whispering voice. But because of him, the council table gets broken, no, shattered like a vulgar glass.

"…" Miss Farner's eyes. They could probably kill that man right now if he was just a bit closer to her.

"Miss Farner…Anyway, Sir Frankher, is he still alive right now?"

"Yes, High commander. Although he might not be for long."

"I see. Saintess, can I ask you to…"

"Sigh…I understand." Really? Did the Saintess just sigh? What kind of behavior is that? Isn't she the…Ah, I understand. It's true that even last time, she didn't heal him as well. Is there something going on between them? I don't remember Rebecca being that much of a stubborn woman, though.

"Thank you. Now, let us talk about our own case. I believe your highness would like to know what happened in Titanium as well."

"Of course."

***

When we end the council siege, night has fallen already. Now, it will be my fourth night without sleep.

"Aren't you coming with us?"

"No, your highness. I would like to check on my students. But please, don't worry, it won't be long."

"Oh, do take your time. I am tired as well. We all need rest after today's events."

"Thank you, your highness. Now, if you will excuse me."

I would have proposed to the heroes to come with me but since Miss Farner practically stormed out of the room after the end of the meeting, I guess it isn't necessary. I barely got the time to tell her sisters that Mister Dragonroad was at my mansion that they had already followed her. The Saintess still looks busy talking with the pope so I shouldn't disturb her.

"Fuu…Let's go then."

I use my teleportation orb and goes to the mansion. All the survivors were brought here as secretly as possible. But like I thought earlier, the priests I hired have loose lips.

"Welcome back, Sir."

"Thank you. Have the heroes arrived?"

"Yes, Sir. They have. Currently, they are staying with miss Vonild in her room."

"Good. What about Mister Dragonroad?"

"They haven't seen him yet. As you know, miss Vonild's emotional state is quite unstable. Thankfully, the heroes' arrival has calmed her down a lot."

"I see."

She has been crying ever since she woke up and didn't even eat. I hope seeing them will ease her mind a bit. Love is painful whether you are ready or not. I go to her room and find the heroes, together with my lovely daughter and my pupil, Peter, trying to cheer up miss Vonild. It doesn't seem to work though.

"Come on, don't you want to eat something? You know, the maids brought juicy apples from the market today and…"

"…"

Ah, my daughter, if only the human heart could be filled with food every time it gets hurt. But it is a good thing that she keeps trying. She will eventually manage to make miss Vonild open up.

"Peter, can't you say something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You were there, you must have something to say."

"I am glad to be alive, that's already more than enough for me. Compared to that guy, I would have preferred to die rather th…"

And miss Vonild starts crying again. My daughter smacks Peter's head but it is not really his fault. He saw what happened there as well so being alive and well is a blessing and grace indeed.

Speaking of blessing, I walk to the next room to see the guy blessed by the goddess herself.

"You truly are one lucky man, mister Dragonroad."

Covered in bandages from the chest to the toes, his face looks peaceful though. It's true that he cannot feel pain so maybe that's why he doesn't look restless. The three priests who worked on him used a high-level healing script and got exhausted without even being able to heal his wounds completely.

His life is still in danger and they even gave up on using scripts on him. If only they weren't priests, I would…Ah, forget it. If the Saintess doesn't come, I might have to call for the head of the medical research center of the etern-

"He doesn't look so bad."

Suddenly, the Saintess's voice resounds behind me. I think I almost got scared. I really need some sleep.

"Saintess. It's a pleasure to-"

"Sir Frankher, please. You know I will always be there for you should you need it."

"It is a blessing to hear that from the mouth of the Saintess herself."

"Even in private, you will still treat me as the Saintess."

"The etiquette obliges me, Rebecca. We both know that."

"I know, I know."

"William is not going to enter?" I know you are the door, son.

"No, he doesn't like this guy too much so it's better if he doesn't."

"I see. I wonder why they do not get along."

"I wonder as well. He hates me so much as well. I just can't find out why."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything." This might be going overboard, but I just want to know.

"What would you do? What would you do if he was your…"

"…Uncle. As you may know, I sealed my memories before entering the eternal army and even lost some of them when I became the Saintess. You know how grateful I am to you who helped me communicate with my family which I had forgotten about and made me remember so many things. You know how desperate I was because of it."

"Yes. I could never forget your long teary nights." Though it is still weird to say that the Saintess came to my house to nag and cry her eyes out.

"I don't even remember the face of my son and even if I did…If it is him here. Then I…I don't know. My heart would probably explode from guilt."

"Then perhaps treating this lad better could help you alleviate that guilt. They aren't so different if you look closely enough."

"I will try. I am not perfect after all."

"Nobody is, Rebecca. Nobody is." Not even the goddess, I am sure.

"Fufufu. There you go again with your weird habit of looking at the ceiling out of nowhere."

"Sorry. I had a flashback just now." I just remember I haven't gone to the little dragon's grave for a while now. I should do it soon, before things start getting more complicated.

"Well, you will tell me about it once I heal this guy then. It shouldn't take me more than an hour if I get serious."

"Hm…Why not?" Sigh…There goes another night of sleep.