Dumped After My Engagement: Becoming a Military Noblewoman

Chapter 98

"There were various factors at play, a miracle occurred, and you're alive without serious injuries. It's certain that you should think of this as a miracle, as mere good luck. As someone who is just your instructor, I can speak calmly like this and say it's an experience, but family is different. They must have been incredibly terrified until they knew you were safe."

While saying this, Instructor Tseri glanced at Grandfather for a moment, then tousled the heads of Sil and Severi, who remained silent.

"There are people in distant lands praying for your safety. Don't let their feelings go to waste. Don't make them sad or regretful."

Instructor Tseri gently smiled at Sil and Severi, who nodded slightly, and as they said, "We'll handle the rest after we return to the city," they removed their hands from the two's heads, and tears began to spill from Sil's eyes.

"It's my fault, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... Celes..."

Sil clung to my arm, tears streaming down as he repeated apologies over and over.

This was quite different from the usual carefree and composed Sil, but perhaps this is the real Sil, the age-appropriate side of a fourteen-year-old.

"Sil, it's okay now."

"Hic, sob... ugh..."

"It's not your fault, Sil. Come on, calm down... Severi?"

As I rubbed the shoulders of Sil, who wouldn't stop crying, I noticed Severi, his face contorted as he desperately tried to hold back tears, bowing deeply to me.

"I'm sorry. And thank you for saving us."

"...No, I mean..."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"Ahh, come on, your eyes are going to swell up."

No matter how many times Sil wiped his eyes with his fingers, tears kept falling, and Severi remained motionless, head still bowed.

Not knowing what to do, I looked up at Instructor Tseri, who was just smiling warmly at us...

"Sil, I'm glad you're safe."

"Yeah, yeah... thank you."

"Severi, you did well too. Good job."

"...Yes."

I lightly patted Sil's back as he finally stopped crying, then grabbed Severi's collar to make him lift his face.

While we were doing this in front of the military tent, the figures of Colonel Nick, Uncle Ruget, and Grandfather had disappeared.

"Finn...!"

"W-What, whoa...!"

Sil, worried about causing concern, ran to the military tent where Finn was waiting, and upon seeing us, Finn showed a relieved expression, only for Sil to hug them while saying, "Thank you."

"Wait, what, who...!?"

"Who? Did you forget us in just a few hours?"

"W-Wait, it's Silvio himself."

"...Huh?"

Surprised by Sil's straightforwardness, Finn's way of confirming was so unconventional that Severi and I had to stifle our laughter with coughs, only to be glared at by Sil when he turned around.

Even with his eyes and nose bright red, Sil's glare wasn't intimidating at all, and as Severi and I entered the military tent, I made eye contact with Finn, whose cheeks were being pulled by Sil.

"Fwah, ah, fwaaah...!?"

"...Sil, let go of Finn's cheeks."

"Ah, Celestia... y-your hair..."

"My hair is less of a concern than my injured wrist."

"Your wrist... Oh, right, the doctor was here just a moment ago, they might still be around."

I grabbed Finn's shoulder to stop them from rushing out of the tent in a panic, then pulled their arm and hugged them.

"C-Celestia...!?"

"Finn, thank you for going to get help."

"I didn't do anything. I was just in a safe place by myself..."

"I'm glad you're unharmed and safe."

"...But Celestia, you got hurt. Even your hair, and you're a girl..."

"The fact that it ended with just this is because you managed to meet up with Dan and the others quickly."

"..."

After hugging Finn tightly with all my strength, I let go as Finn smiled with a complicated expression, and in my place, Severi hugged Finn.

"H-Huh...!?"

"You saved us."

"Uh, yeah."

"I'm grateful."

"Ah, yeah. I'm glad you're safe."

Finding Finn, who was shocked by both Sil and now Severi, amusing, Sil and I exchanged glances and laughed.

Though the schedule had changed significantly, the exercise was temporarily concluded, and we were to return to the city.

The other students were not told the details, only that there had been a minor conflict with people from the Kingdom of Srelan.

For general class students raised in a city where conflicts with other countries are commonplace, they might accept such an explanation with a simple 'I see' and quickly forget about it, but the students here now are from the special class of nobles. Though they listened to the instructor's explanation with skeptical expressions, upon hearing that we had protected Sleiran's royalty, they seemed to sense something and all fell silent.

I thought this incident had come to a close for the time being, but it seems I was naive.

As we packed up the military tents and left the campsite to return to the city, Grandfather was standing there as if waiting for us. Beside him was Instructor Tseri, and the two followed behind our squad at the rear, speaking quietly about something, but before I knew it, Grandfather was walking beside me, matching my pace.

I had assumed he had already returned to the city by carriage with the others, so I was surprised that Grandfather was still here, and those around us quickly averted their eyes upon seeing him.

"...Um, Grandfather."

"..."

"Grandfather?"

"..."

Wondering if he had something to say, I walked while observing him for a while, but Grandfather kept walking silently, looking straight ahead, until I couldn't bear the heavy atmosphere and called out to him.

"Grandfather, um, aren't you tired? It's still a long way to the city, and, well..."

"..."

"It might be a burden on your body."

"..."

"A carriage or a horse..."

"..."

"Pfft...!"

Not knowing what to say, I just kept blurting out whatever came to mind, and then Instructor Tseri, walking behind Grandfather, burst out laughing...

"Pfft, ha, ahahaha, hahaha...! I never thought Fielde would be worried about his health, ha, hahaha!"

"Shut up, be quiet."

"How can I stay quiet about this? Pfft, ha!"

"Hey."

"Fielde and I are the same age, you know? And yet, only you get this concern... hehe, ha, pfft...!"

"Isn't it just because you don't have a grandchild to worry about your health?"

"That's true, but Fielde, really? The Fielde who's said to survive being stabbed a hundred times?"

"I'd die if I were stabbed."

"But I've heard you were stabbed in the side, bleeding, and still swung your sword as if nothing happened?"

"It was just a situation where I had to swing my sword."

"That's why other countries call you a bloodthirsty, tearless battle maniac. But seeing this side of that battle maniac makes me glad I came here."

"...I'm the same as always, aren't I?"

"True."

"You're still an annoying man, as always."

"And Fielde, you're still a man who's soft on his family."

Watching the rare sight of the two, whether they were arguing or just playfully bantering as friends, Instructor Tseri, with a mischievous smile like a playful child, leaned close to my ear and whispered.

"Fielde is worried about you, that's why he can't leave your side like this."

Hearing that, my eyes widened, and as I looked up at Grandfather with a sense of realization, I saw him frowning and glaring at Instructor Tseri.

Realizing that he chose to walk this long distance with me instead of returning by carriage or horse because he was worried about me, my tear ducts suddenly gave way, and my vision blurred.

Even when facing Nils and the others, even when running through the forest with Sil and the others, even when I was nearly cut down by Sleiran's knights, I was scared, but I never once complained or shed a tear.

"Hey, what did you say to my granddaughter?"

"I might have said it's the first time I've seen Fielde so anxious."

"You..."

"Ah, I'm really glad I came here. If I had known something this amusing was waiting, I would have retired from knight training much sooner."

"Go back to your territory, you old geezer."

"An old geezer shouldn't say that to another old geezer. Right, Celestia?"

"She's my granddaughter, don't get too familiar!"

"Scary, scary."

As I looked down and cried, Grandfather gently and kindly stroked my shoulder, and feeling happy about it, I continued to sob and cry.

Sil and the others pretended not to notice my state, but I later heard from Finn that when Instructor Tseri muttered happily, "I even managed to create a debt with Sleiran's Third Prince," they turned around abruptly, their faces pale, and started panicking about something.

Regarding that, I feel sorry for them, but I hope they'll accept it as their own doing and give up.