THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

After the funerals, most students leave but some of them stay behind and placing flowers on the graves. 

"Are you also going to participate in the war?"

"Of course not. You saw how the omega and gamma ended up just confronting Longinus. No way I am going to throw my life away for nothing." 

The people comment on whether they will participate in the war but it seems most won't If only someone could be the same

Lanuvel goes and place a flower on each grave as well. Where did she get those? She didn't have one when we came here. In any case, Germinia does the same after her. In the mean time, Rebecca, doggy and the heroes all go back to the church and Farner gets all shy when she looks at my face. Why do you have to be so cute? I so want to kiss that shy face right now but I have to control myself. Roxcia is already glaring at me after all.

After them, Frankher comes to me.

"I will you on the battlefield then."

"Wait. You will go as well?"

"Yes, of course. Those bastards attacked my school while I was still the headmaster. The least I can do is to retaliate. At least it will give me some break time away from my duties." 

"And who will manage your territory? Your-"

"My son Cecexs is as capable as me for those. Though I would have prefer that my daughter doesn't go." 

"Wait, Keltia is going as well?!!" 

I uncontrollably shout and the people still here all look at me. Including Lanuvel and Keltia who are now together. Keltia even makes an angry face to tell me it is none of my business.

"I tried talking her out of it but what can I say? She is as stubborn as a horse." 

"We must insist. Neither she nor Lanuvel should go."

"Do you think you ca-"

"Do you think you can convince us?"

Though I noticed them, I act a bit surprised when the girls arrived and join us. Now, it is not only Keltia and Lanuvel. Germinia, Peter, Samson and Alphonse are all here.

"You guys shouldn't go. I know you are frustrated and angry but war isn't just about-"

"And who are you to tell us what war is?" Keltia doesn't even let me say anything. "Just because you have had a few battles doesn't mean you can lecture us about war." 

"She is right." Lanuvel…

"Besides, this isn't just about us being frustrated and angry. We must avenge Derkheil, Cordel; Esteressa and all the others."

"It is our duty as those who survived thanks to them." Germinia follows right after Keltia. She really is adamant about it.

"Alphonse, you will really let her do this?" Let's try to bring Alphonse on my side. It should help me convince the rest.

"It will be a good experience for her. Besides, she wouldn't listen to me." And here I had my hopes up. 

"Lanuvel, at least, you shouldn't go. Your mother needs you and –"

"Don't bring mom into this. You just don't want me to go. But I will, no matter what. I cannot let you risk your life while I live in comfort here."

"No, he is right. You shouldn't go." Thanks Germinia. Though I totally didn't need you on this one.

"You shut up; okay?"

"Hey, watch how you speak to my sister." 

"Leave my lover alone, please." 

"Wait, what?" Alphonse makes the most surprised face of the world when he hears the news. Yup, your sister is in love with another girl. And you haven't even heard the worst part yet.

"For the last time, I am not your lover, okay! Stop with that already!" 

"But I got hurt trying to save you." 

"And I already said thanks. Geez, what else do you want?" 

Under the rain of the conversation, Sir Alphonse is so overtaken by the conversation that his eyes almost roll out. But when he comes back to himself, the first he does is to smack his sister's head with a chop of the head.

"Gyaa!! W-what was that for?" Germinia turns around and seeing her brother's angry face; we once again see the face she made once when talking about him, the face of true and absolute fear.

"So not only did you run away saying I was a tyrant, but you even dare to have weird habits now, huh…" 

Even though, Germinia is taller than him, he actually grabs her by the collar of her clothes like a small kitten and starts dragging her off.

"Kevin, we might not see each other on the batlleflied since I will be going to Floras to help the heroes. Still; I wish you the best of luck and I hope you will be a Diz'kar as well the ,next time we meet." 

"Let's hope so." 

He disappears beyond the gate with Germinia and the calm atmosphere is left behind becomes too awkward for us to add anything else.

"Ahem, as a conclusion then: I will be going to Titanium with Mister Peter and my daughter. Miss Lanuvel and Mister Samson, you said you wish to go to Floras, is that still the case?" 

"Yes; headmaster. I believe I will be more useful there."

"And Floras is closer to Syldavie so I will be able to visit my mother even if there is no teleportation orbs available." 

"I see. Then mister Dragonroad, as I said earlier, we will see each other on the battlefield. I believe your mercenary group is leaving tonight." 

"I think so." I don't have the slightest idea.

"Good. We shall leave in three days. The time for me to take of the last details and for my own unit to assemble." 

"What about the king?"

"He is still here in Mercuria but currently, a stronghold is being built east of here. The king as well as all the personalities of the country, including the pope, will be moved there once it is finished. It isn't the safest method but at least, it reduces the option of any would-be assassin."

"I hope so. I will see you later then." 

"Yes." Frankher leaves with the others and I stay behind with Lanuvel. 

"Let's go and see your mother then." 

"Don't think I will give up. Because I won't. I already told her and I repeat it for you as well. I will become someone who can stand up by herself, without anyone's help." 

"DO you really think you have been saved too much?"

I read her mind and that's what she is thinking. But was it really that much? In my case, I wish somebody had save me like that when I needed it. Somebody who could have save me when my par…I should stop with the wishful thinking. It won' t bring me anywhere.

***

In the end, because of Lanuvel's extreme resolve, we didn't go to meet Rose. I left her go alone and went back to K'nor. There are not a lot of merchants left in the city so it took me some time to buy meat for him. If those guy's objective was to chase people away from the city, then they really did great. 

Soon after K'nor starts eating, Willhem and the others arrive.

"Capt'; What's up?" 

"Nothing much. We are leaving already?" Willhem doesn't look too happy but not too angry as well. He is normal, calm even. Which is weird, I would say.

"Yeah, they are sending us to another city. ROCKWELL. But it is still near the border. It seems those fuckers got afraid after Obarion. Now; they want to cement their place in Titanium first instead of pushing through." 

"Well, you can't really blame them." They lost ten thousand soldiers in a single day. Even I would think twice before sending other people in.

"Tch. Then they could just send us ahead without reinforcements. Fucking cowards. Anyway, the guy in charge is still that old sneaky priest. And apparently, we won't have that much soldiers to cover us." 

"Doesn't change anything. We go in and do what we do best; right?" 

"Of course." 

Now then, let's go. I stand up and leave the box. Hendrick then brings out anew raizen and hands to me. This time, it is a white one. It is entirely white, even the handles which are generally made of cloths is white as well.

"A gift from the church. For your accomplishements, they said." 

"Couldn't they give money instead?" 

"Well, you weren't there to ask so…" 

"And of course, you guys got money, right?" 

"You bet!" 

"Of course, we did!" Of course.

I take the raizen and check it out. It is light. A bit unbalanced though. The blade is heavier and shorter than the handle so it shifts the weight forward. If there is one thing I have noticed from all the raizens I have used, it is that those which are like that will be annoyingly waving around when I swing.

"And they even had to give a defective one at that." 

"Wait, it is not a good one?" 

"Just because it is white doesn't mean it is good, Hendrick." Hendrick looks surprised when I say that this raizen is no good. I give it back to him so that he keeps it. I don't have a bracelet to store my items right now. "Let's move out." 

Looking at K'nor who has finished eating, I decide to leave. It is time to get you some exercises, K'nor.