Night Knight.

The transfer order had come in a hurry, yet the preparations were thorough. That very afternoon, troop carriers rolled into the camp to take the entire Eleventh Company to the nearby airport. All essential gear from the camp was loaded along with them onto the transport plane.

"Could this be arranged by the Great Sage?"

No matter how much she thought about it, Hielaina Irevia Satschama couldn't dismiss that possibility. The very existence of the Eleventh Company already bore traces of the Great Sage's influence, and this sudden transfer order being tied to him didn't seem strange at all.

"That's possible…"

Otto rested his chin on one hand, his thoughts undisturbed even by the truck's jolts. At the earlier meeting, Hielaina had already told everyone about Barini Sigbodley and the Great Sage behind the scenes, so naturally, Otto had connected the dots as well.

"In any case, our current position is far too passive…"

Finally, he let out a sigh and leaned back against the railing behind him.

No one disputed the truth of that statement, and their countermeasures had already been decided. The truck fell silent again, the rumble of the engine filling the air as the only background sound.

Similar conversations were taking place in other vehicles, but those were focused on Hielaina herself.

"What do you think about the Princess?"

The remaining "normal" members of the Eleventh Company—Nemilic, Trenchap, Rogm, and Charlie—were all riding together in the last troop carrier. Officially, their reason was to "secure the rear of the convoy," but Hielaina had easily seen through that excuse. She didn't stop them from holding their little meeting; after all, as someone suddenly thrust into the spotlight and placed in their ranks, it was natural for them to have concerns.

"I am willing to pledge my loyalty to Her Highness," Rogm declared in his usual straightforward manner, without a shred of hesitation.

"We've already sworn the oath," he added, glancing at the others as if to remind them.

"No, no, I'm not questioning loyalty. I'm willing to follow Her Highness too, but I wanted to ask—how do you see her as a person?"

Realizing Rogm had misunderstood him, Nemilic quickly clarified.

"How do I see her? Other than catching a distant glimpse of the Princess at a palace banquet long ago, I know nothing about her," Charlie replied. Yet Nemilic's explanation only made him more confused as to what Nemilic was getting at.

"Why do you ask?" Charlie said.

"As everyone knows, Her Highness has always kept a low profile," Trenchap chimed in in agreement.

"It's exactly because she keeps such a low profile that I wanted to ask if you knew anything I don't. We broke our previous oath to serve the Princess instead, so I'd like to understand more about her."

Nemilic had assumed Charlie, coming from a prestigious noble family, would know more—but even he knew nothing.

"Knowing Her Highness's political vision is enough. And she is the late Emperor's appointed successor. I believe she's far more worth following than Parotno."

"That's true enough."

Everyone agreed with Rogm's words. This wasn't just about an oath; they had all seen—and personally benefited from—the peace and development maintained by the late Emperor. Poverty and conflict had never been completely eradicated within the vast empire, but as the rightful heir, the Princess's intent to continue her father's policies naturally won their full support.

"Still… you really don't know anything else?"

After a short silence, Nemilic asked Charlie again.

"Truly nothing. Except for necessary occasions, the Princess almost never appears in public, nor does she participate in the palace's social circles. But she never once missed a state council meeting. The late Emperor seemed to have devoted great effort to grooming his only daughter."

"…," Nemilic said nothing, and Charlie went on:

"I've heard that when the late Emperor Bryso was young, he too was given intensive training. I suppose it runs in the family."

"It's a good thing when emperors are this reliable."

Not knowing how long the journey would take, Rogm simply closed his eyes to rest.

"That's for sure."

…

"Why do we have to ride in this thing again…?"

Inaya clung to the railing beside the boarding steps, refusing to move another step. It was Shatiel who finally slung her over his shoulder and carried her onto the plane, allowing the boarding line to move again.

"There'll be plenty more of this in the future. Best get used to it," Edwin said, patting her shoulder as he passed, and even fastened her seatbelt for her. His "comforting" words, however, did nothing to cheer her up.

"Aren't you a mage? Don't you have a spell to cure air sickness?"

Hielaina took the seat next to her. Her casual remark made Inaya's eyes suddenly light up, as if inspiration had struck.

"Right! Why didn't I think of that?!"

Analyzing the problem, she realized her dizziness was nothing more than a confusion of the senses—not a serious ailment. A simple recovery spell should do the trick…

"I'll try it later," she said, her gloom gone, now eager and ready to act.

"There really is one…"

Hielaina had only been speaking offhandedly, but to think there actually was a spell for motion sickness—magic really did make life easier.

"Your Highness."

Just then, Nordhausen appeared before Hielaina, clearly with something to say.

"This may not be the right time, but I think it's better to tell you in advance."

His expression was grave, though that was hardly unusual for him.

"Go ahead," Hielaina said, rising from her seat to give him her full attention.

"The battlefield is ever-changing, and danger can strike at any moment. If circumstances allow, I recommend you remain in camp and avoid joining us in front-line missions. I've already discussed this with Andrea and the four platoon leaders, and they all agree."

When he finished, Nordhausen looked at her. Agreement? Refusal? He could read nothing from her face.

"If we face extreme danger like last time, I will withdraw from the field. But joining front-line actions is not just a disguise for me—it's a form of learning. Only by being there can I truly sense the logic behind unfolding events. That will help me make better judgments in the future."

"…But—"

Nordhausen wanted to argue, but her airtight reasoning left him speechless. Truly befitting a princess.

"Well, if you'd like, I could teach you a few runes," Inaya interjected at just the right moment, drawing both of their gazes.

"Runes?"

"Or sigils—it's the same thing. They're the key to casting. So, what do you say? Want to learn?"

Surprisingly, she looked quite serious, with no hint of mischief.

"If you're willing to teach, I'm willing to learn. But why the sudden generosity?"

Her unexpected offer piqued Hielaina's interest—not only in Inaya's motives but in magic itself.

"I told you before I could teach you magic, didn't I?!"

"Ah, true… though I remember there were conditions."

"Not anymore."

"Oh? When do we start?"

"Right now—hang on a second…"

To their confusion, Inaya borrowed a sticky note and pencil from Nordhausen, then began scribbling on it.

"Lesson one: memorize this symbol."

Hielaina took the note, suspicion on her face.

"We're starting now?"

"What else?"

"Doesn't this seem… a little hasty?"

"What's the point in dragging it out? If you're quick, I can teach you the next step in two minutes."

…

From her manner, Inaya was not joking. But could learning magic really be this casual? It felt like someone pulling out a daily planner on the bus to check the schedule.

"All right."

Half-doubting, Hielaina memorized the symbol. To check her, she rewrote it on another note under Inaya's watchful eye.

It was awkward writing such a strange symbol for the first time, especially without knowing which details mattered or what to watch out for. Fortunately, their diligent teacher circled and marked the mistakes, and soon Hielaina had mastered its form.

"The next part will require some real thought on your part," Inaya said.

With everyone aboard, the cabin door shut with a solid thunk. Hielaina sat down, fastened her seatbelt, and listened closely.

"You need to feel your connection with the world, then picture the rune I taught you. If all goes well, the rune will draw on magic to alter reality."

"…I can understand most of that, but how exactly do I 'feel my connection with the world'?"

Hielaina had thought she'd grasp the essence of spellcasting quickly—Inaya had said it was simple—but this sounded far too abstract.

"Think of it as deep meditation. First, feel your own existence—your heartbeat, your breathing—then sense the changes in the world outside: wind, temperature, things like that. Before long, you'll naturally feel the presence of magic. It's simple—pick any child off the street and they could learn it."

"Haha… let's hope so."

Hielaina had heard the word "meditation" before, but only that. In church-ruled lands, people often contemplated doctrine or divine words, and meditation was common—but in the South, such practices were rare. She herself had never tried it.

"No need to rush. Casting is simple, but learning still takes time. Once you've felt magic's presence, it becomes much easier."

Seeing her concern, Inaya offered reassurance. After so long in the South, she herself had noticed how different this land's culture was from that of the church states.

"I'll give it a try…"

Once all was ready, the four engines began to slowly spool up, the cabin filling with rising noise. Sunlight flashed across the spinning blades, leaving only blurred afterimages. Soon, the wheels began rolling, carrying the plane onto the main runway. After receiving the "all clear" from ground control, the pilot released the brakes and pushed the throttles forward. The transport accelerated, lifted free of the ground on the rushing air's lift, and continued to climb until the mountains, fields, and villages spread out far below.