Chapter 192
“No. How much sound can a barracks made of cloth really block? More than that, there’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“Is it really all right for us to settle down in the Cantabria Empire? Of course, it’s not that we’ve changed our minds, but…”
“I understand it’s because you’re worried. You can feel free to ask anything about this.”
As Lea opened the conversation comfortably, starting with Elena, the other Guides also began to bring up their questions. Lea answered kindly and thoroughly, within the limits of what she could explain.
As their questions, asked one by one, were drawing to a close, the three who had argued with Elena hesitantly approached Lea. They spoke up very awkwardly.
“…You’ll accept us again, right? The fact that you didn’t kill us or lock us away in the prisoner barracks means you’re willing to take us back, doesn’t it?”
Lea looked steadily at the three of them. Even a single Guide was an invaluable asset from the perspective of the Cantabria Empire.
But Lea also remembered how easily those three had changed their minds and guided Kyle and his men. And she recalled the expressions on the Cantabrian soldiers’ faces as they watched.
“That’s not something I can decide. The Commander-in-Chief will make that judgment.”
“…What?”
Lea was always so kind, so after hearing her unusually firm words, they couldn’t hide their surprise. After hesitating for a moment, Lea added gently,
“If you received only favors from the Cantabrian Espers but turned your back on your obligations, I can’t treat you the same as the other Guides.”
“…Why not? We came back, didn’t we? We’ll never betray you again. It was just because we were scared then.”
When one of them made that clumsy excuse, Elena’s expression twisted with anger. Lea quickly looked over everyone’s faces before replying,
“Even so, I’m sure it was less frightening than the Espers who risked their lives to protect us.”
At Lea’s answer, the Guide who had asked the question looked aggrieved, while the other Guides watched with trusting eyes. It was then that Lucy, who had been quietly observing until now, stepped forward.
“I think comparing Espers and Guides isn’t fair. Espers are human, too, so of course they can feel fear, but the kind of fear a Guide experiences is fundamentally different.”
Lea listened to her words for a moment, then spoke.
“So you mean, if there’s someone who’s more hurt, those who are less hurt shouldn’t show their pain?”
“…Wasn’t that what you yourself just said, Lea? That it must have been less frightening than death for the Espers.”
“Well, isn’t it only natural to be more afraid when you’re facing death?”
“At the time, I’m sure the Guides also thought they might die, so isn’t it the same?”
Lucy, who was subtly twisting the nuance of the words, met Lea’s gaze as Lea, with a slightly subdued voice, asked her,
“If you haven’t actually faced death, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t equate the threat of death with the fear of it.”
“…Excuse me?”
“If you’ve ever had a blade pressed to your throat, cutting through your skin, you wouldn’t say such things.”
Lea was quite bothered by Lucy’s words. She was also suspicious of Lucy’s constant attempts to drive a wedge among the Guides.
“…And if I said I had, would you let me tell my story?”
“How would I know if that’s true? Do you have a scar?”
Seeing a different side of Lea than usual, Lucy bit the inside of her cheek in frustration. Of course, she’d never been hurt to the point of nearly dying. She had never felt that intense a threat to her life, so naturally, Lucy’s body was spotless, without a single scar. As Lucy failed to answer right away, Lea brought up the real reason she’d come.
“By the way, while I was being treated, did you guide the soldiers?”
At Lea’s question, the Guides couldn’t answer right away. But they did have something to say for themselves.
“We were too shocked by what happened that day, so it didn’t even cross our minds to do any guiding.”
At Lucy’s words, the other Guides all nodded at once. Lea accepted Lucy’s words for now.
“I understand. But today, you’ll have to do some guiding. The Esper soldiers look uneasy.”
“Yes!”
At Lea’s words, Elena answered energetically, but the three who had betrayed them hesitated and glanced at Lucy. However, Lucy no longer intended to take their side.
She had only butted in to talk to Lea anyway.
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