# Wounds Leave Indelible Marks (4)
Two votes for going to the Knights.
Two votes for going to the Church.
The result was a tie.
I'd expected opinions to differ, but...
I never thought it would split exactly in half.
I turned my gaze to check Cecilia and Estia's expressions.
*Cecilia is frowning in displeasure... and Estia looks like she doesn't have much on her mind.*
Cecilia looked as if she couldn't understand why the vote had split 2-2 in the first place.
"If they knew the full extent of the Black Crow Knights' corruption, they wouldn't even consider the Church... This is why the breadth of one's knowledge matters."
Estia reacted strongly to the word corruption and shouted.
"What are you talking about! The Church's corruption is way worse! Do you know how depraved they are! You don't even know!"
"I suppose they disguise drugs as Holy Water to collect money and steal donations."
"Always acting like you know everything! The Church is far more corrupt than the Knights! If you'd experienced what happened there, you wouldn't be able to say anything right now! You're always holed up in a corner reading books!"
"...Are you done talking?"
Swish—
Cecilia stood up from her chair and tried to head toward Estia across from her.
I quietly sat in my chair and called her name.
"Cecilia."
"...Yes."
"What's the first rule?"
"No fighting...sir."
"You know it well, so why did you stand up? Sit back down. Both of you went too far."
"...Yes."
Cecilia sat down with her lips pressed tightly together in frustration.
As if irritated by the situation, she glared at Estia with her characteristic dark eyes.
However, that only lasted a moment.
Perhaps realizing her mistake, she lowered her gaze.
It was behavior that could only come from a mix of surging emotions and a rapidly spinning mind.
"...Both of you, calm down. I know what you've been through. But don't presume to measure others' pain."
The pain each person feels is different, and no one has the right to judge another's pain.
The shape of the wounds these two carried was different to begin with.
That was the conclusion I could draw, having directly experienced both their suffering.
"Cecilia, Estia. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"..."
"Answer me."
"Yes..."
"I got it..."
Let's cool things down before making a decision.
I assessed the atmosphere and asked Luna, whose eyes had widened in surprise.
"Luna."
"Y-yes!?"
"The opinions are split 2-2. As the Hero of the Hero Party, what choice will you make?"
"U-um... If it were me, I'd choose the safer option! We should eliminate the weaker Demon King first!"
"Don't tell me, Luna..."
Does she think the Church is weaker than the Knights?
Is that why she chose the Church?
At my question, Luna smiled with an awkward expression.
"Hehe... Knights just feel stronger than priests, you know!"
"Luna, the Church has Holy Knights too."
"Oh, right."
"...I'll give you time to think it over again."
Choosing the safer option.
That thought truly deserves praise.
But it's pointless if you forget something important.
"Haah..."
I sighed at the Hero's future.
This time I turned my gaze toward Juliana.
"Juliana, are you still thinking the same thing?"
"Y-yes... I think we should attack the Knights first..."
"Your reason?"
"Well, that's because...!"
Juliana's eyes lit up as if she'd been waiting for this moment.
As if she'd lived for this moment alone, she began to speak.
"I-I haven't changed my mind that we should attack the Knights first...! The Black Crow Knights have weakened considerably recently... and they're even shunned from the Emperor's guard...! Now that their power has weakened is the right time...!"
"You know quite a lot of information. Where did you get it?"
Everyone knows that the Black Crows' power has weakened.
However, the fact that they're shunned by the Emperor—
That part required me to verify the source, even after two years of gathering information.
Juliana answered me with conviction without hesitation, as if she felt no pressure.
"I heard it from the street orphans..."
"Orphans?"
"Yes, I saw you use beggars when you were acting covertly, sir... so I used street orphans... I gave them food in exchange for useful information..."
"There's a possibility those children lied."
"No, that's impossible. I warned them..."
Juliana spoke with a voice full of conviction, as if there was absolutely no way that could happen.
I don't know what that "warning" was.
But since Juliana spoke with such certainty, I decided to believe her.
"If they've fallen out of the Emperor's favor, support will be delayed or won't come even if we attack the Knights. Good information, Juliana."
"Th-thank you, sir..."
Juliana currently had the most reliable judgment in the Hero Party.
If I had to leave my legacy to just one person, wouldn't I choose Juliana?
She had grown into someone that trustworthy.
"The problem is her personality gets a bit cold when I'm not around..."
"Yes...? What do you mean...?"
"Nothing, Juliana. Just talking to myself."
Anyway.
While I was talking with Juliana, Luna had finished organizing her thoughts and was looking at me.
With a somewhat sulky expression.
"...Sir, what's with those eyes? What's with that look dripping with trust?"
"You don't need to know."
"How can you say that! Look at me with those eyes too!"
"You have to act properly for that to be possible. More importantly, have you thought about it?"
"I already finished thinking! Like Juliana said, I think it's better to hit the weaker Knights first!"
"Then it's decided."
We'll attack the Black Crow Knights first.
Vote concluded 3 to 1.
Only Estia had chosen the Church.
With Luna changing her mind, this meeting came to a close.
"It's late today, so everyone go to your rooms and sleep. Let me know when you're ready to go in."
The children gave me small greetings and headed toward their rooms.
Since it was late, their steps were heavy with drowsiness.
In the midst of this, only one girl didn't leave the dining table.
"Surprising, Estia. I didn't expect you not to go to your room."
"I don't feel like going sometimes too! It's a woman's heart!"
"Sure, that can happen. So?"
You stayed because you have something to say to me, right?
Estia closed her mouth for a moment.
"..."
"Feel free to speak comfortably without hesitation."
"Well...! Why didn't you choose to attack the Church first?"
"I wanted to see what choice you all would make."
"...Then, sir."
Thud—
Estia grabbed my hand as if pleading.
"I don't really want the Church to be destroyed or anything! I had fun at the orphanage after all! And I'm happy now! But promise me just one thing!"
"A promise?"
"Yeah, a promise! An important promise!"
Estia held out her pinky finger.
"What are you doing! You hold yours out too!"
"...I'd like to hear what the promise is first."
"Why are you so calculating! Just give it!"
Aren't you the one who doesn't calculate enough?
With such a small complaint, I held out my pinky finger to Estia.
Estia linked her pinky finger with mine and made her promise.
"I don't really want the Church to disappear! But instead! Promise me! If we finish dealing with the Knights and go to the Church, and there are kids like me there..."
Save at least them.
I don't want anything else.
I just don't want there to be kids suffering like I did.
"I know! I know how much that experiment hurts! So you save them!"
"I'll save them if I see them, but our purpose is ultimately to eliminate the Demon King—"
"Still! Just save them! We even made a pinky promise! If you run away, you're a traitor and a petty person! Keep your promise! Got it?"
Estia firmly locked her pinky finger.
Despite having bad experiences in the past, rather than harboring hatred, she smiled and asked me to help other children.
"Even with that personality, a Saint is still a Saint, I suppose."
"What's that supposed to mean! Don't insult me!"
"...Alright, I promised, so I'll save them if I see them."
I'll keep your promise.
I patted Estia's head.
Even if she's frustrating, with a heart like that...
I can't help it.
"Now go back and sleep, Estia. It's bedtime."
"Okay! You sleep well too!"
Estia waved her hand and left.
After the meeting ended and all the Hero Party members left, the dining table was empty.
However, unlike the other children, it was difficult to leave this place.
"Cecilia's revenge... and Estia's promise..."
These are important matters for how these two will live.
Having experienced bad things in the past.
With personalities split to polar extremes.
Two people who suffered many wounds.
Yet they have such different personalities because the shape of their wounds differs.
"Their thoughts about accepting the past are different too... The more I think about it, the more complicated it gets."
I ruffled my hair in frustration.
How could I guide the past wounds these two carry in the right direction?
How could I resolve things so they could live happily after I die?
I pondered deeply about that.
"...Tonight seems like it will be a long one."
In contrast to the long night,
the time until the day of the decisive battle passed quickly.