Chapter 433


    Phillip came to watch our training


    “His Grace and Sebastian said that I should come and check up on you two. Especially, you, Mr. Takumi.”


    “...Me?”


    “Mr. Takumi?”


    So Phillip had come to see us after being asked by Mr. Ekenhart and Sebastian... I wonder why?


    “His Grace wondered that something might have changed with the way you think after last night’s events.”


    “The way I think?”


    “What happened last night?”


    “And from what I saw at a distance...you did seem a little different.”


    “Really?”


    I had spoken to Mr. Ekenhart and Sebastian after returning to the mansion. And perhaps they had sensed a change come over me.


    Perhaps it was my regret over how things went with Deam...


    There were definitely times when I thought I was acting normal, but others found me easy to read.


    ...They had even known I meant to go to the slums.


    “I have watched you train with the master occasionally, and at Range village as well. And you seem more determined now.”


    I didn’t know that much about Phillip, but he was the leader of the guard at this mansion.


    I had not noticed him observing me before, but I suppose there were things he was able to see from it.


    I had to do something on my own.


    “...I suppose I would knock the person I wanted to protect out of the way, and get hit in their place...”


    “I see. That would indeed be an effective way to protect someone. However, you will then be wounded or even die. And then the enemy will be free to attack their original target. And you won’t be able to do anything about it.”


    “That’s true...”


    As I had not done anything about the enemy, the outcome would be the same in the end.


    So, what could I do...


    “Perhaps you could ignore the enemy’s sword, and just swing at the enemy with all of your might instead. But it’s possible that you won’t be able to do it before the person you want to protect is cut down.”


    “Indeed... That would not be a good move.”


    “But you could avoid the death of everyone. Sacrificing one person will lead to protecting yourself.”


    “...”


    I understood what he was saying.


    If sacrificing one person could save myself and others, then it may be necessary.


    However...if I was ever in that situation...I felt that I would still want to protect that person.


    That was just my personality.


    “I know it was a mischievous question... But the point is that the situation will change with every fight. There will be times when you must protect someone. Times when you have to defeat an enemy. Times when you have to abandon friends and survive.”


    “Yes, that’s true.”


    It really was a mischievous question, given there wasn’t even a right answer. Because it changed based on the situation.


    There was no real answer.