Alfine's point of view


　The events in Algren have changed my life forever.

　After cremating Fynn's body in Algren, I returned to King's Landing with his hair and the Adventurer's Insignia.

　My life in a world without Fynn began then.


　He woke up in the morning, saw Fynn's adventurer's insignia and despaired, but he was still hungry, so he went to his room to eat, biting his nails and vaguely reminiscing about his time with Fynn, and then he went to bed.

　The process repeated itself.


　The steward had offered words of comfort at first, but now he just brought the food to me and we didn't exchange words anymore.


　Fynn...... just wanted to say that he was sorry.

　I can't believe he's gone...... stupid, stupid, stupid...... my stupid.


　I was an idiot for not noticing all of this.


　The tears that should have been pouring out of my eyes were flowing again and wetting my pillow again.

　I've been living like this for two weeks now.


　I've been holed up in my mansion for a long time as a swordsmanship instructor for the Kingsguard because of my poor health.

　Everything is no longer important to me now that Fynn is gone.


　I was looking at Fynn's adventurer's insignia and biting my nails, which he had told me to stop doing, when there was a knock at the door.


'Master Alfine, ...... the Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, Master Gile, is here to visit you, ....... How may I help you?

'I don't want to see anyone right now. Give them a reason to take you back.


　I don't know why I have to deal with the guy I don't want to see the most, when the guy who was my everything is dead and doesn't matter anymore.

　It's a good thing that this steward is the one who doesn't understand me.


"But ...... I have received a personal order from the king to visit Alfina-sama in person: ......

From the sound of your voice, you're in reasonably good spirits. Alfina-dono.


　You'll be able to find out what's going on in the world and how you can make the most of it.


It's a good thing that you're not in a serious condition. It's not only the king, but also his knights in arms are worried about Alfine who has been ill for a long time. Of course, I, the leader, am also concerned.


　He had been living in a holed up area for a long time and was still in his nightgown. He immediately put on a gown that was close at hand.


''Lord Giles, ...... no matter how much of an edict from the king, we can't have you come in without permission.

You took a sudden leave of absence and have been on sick leave ever since. I've come to see you, sir, as I suspect that you have been suffering from an epidemic in the northern city of Algren.


　Giles grinned at that.


　How ...... did Gyorl know I was headed to Algren?

　He knew about Fynn's disappearance last time, and this time he even knew about my actions on vacation, which I did without even telling the king where I was going .......


'Oh?　I'm not going to let you look at me like that. I thought I was on the side of Master Alfine. So, have you met Lord Fynn?

'What are you talking about? I told you that Fynn is training for the sword: ......


　Suddenly, the mention of Fynn's name came out of Jair's mouth and he was upset, but he thought he had managed to make up for it.

　But there was an expression on Gilet's face that could be considered a sneer.


　This face ...... means that he knows what happened in Algren.

　I've also asked the Adventurer's Guild staff in Algren to keep quiet about Fynn's death until I can clear my mind. The other person who knows about this is .......


　I turn my attention to the one remaining person who knows the truth.


'I'm sorry. I've been in Gile-sama's service before I served Alfine-sama ....... He asked me to tell you what happened, and I told him what happened in that place. This is another thing I did on my own out of concern for Lady Alfine. Please forgive me.

Forgiveness? Vigo, shame on you. How can you allow a butler to divulge your employer's secrets?


　My steward, Vigo, bowed his head apologetically.


　I was indignant to learn that he, who I had hired as my steward when I became a sword saint and made my name in the aristocracy, had given all the information about me and Fynn to Giles.

　I thought I hadn't forgiven him, but when I found out that he had betrayed me, even to the person who had hired him, my heart grew even fonder.


　I'm a really stupid woman ...... that I don't even have a good eye for people.

　It's no surprise that Fynn would be so affectionate with such a woman .......


'Don't blame Vigo so much. It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're doing. Yes, many things. I know, I know your habits and everything: ......


　With a derisive smile and a smirk on his face, Gile sat down on the bed nervously and put his hand on my shoulder.


'Rude ......! I'm on a sickbed, so please don't touch me.


　I was so accustomed to it that I brushed away the hand on my shoulder.


It's a trivial matter. I am trying to comfort Lord Alfine with the news that his dearest love, Lord Fynn, died of illness in Algren.


　The words from Giles cut through my barely-controlled mind.


"Fi, Fiene is not dead. As I said before, he was training with a sword...

"Didn't you get Lord Fynn's Adventurer's Insignia from his corpse? From the body of a young black-haired man with the same tattoo as Lord Alfine's on his neck. That body is in training? Are you still trying to fool me with that kind of nonsense?

What?


　The heart I had endured was completely shattered as I heard the words I least wanted to hear from the person I least wanted to be told by the person I least wanted to be told.

　The tears I had been holding back were flowing down and I was exposing my weakest form to the man I least wanted to show my weakness to.


　To expose such a weak and feminine figure to such a man. ......

　I already want to die ...... that I would live in a world without Fynn.


　Yes, you can be near Fynn when you die.

　I don't know why I didn't realize how easy it was to get to ...... and I was a fool.


　I was impulsively pulling out the sword that I kept on the bedside table and pressing it against my neck.


''What?　You b*tc*!　He's trying to hurt himself!　Vigo, make them stop!

Yes, sir. Take the sword away and knock him out.


　As Vigo said this to the creepy, full-body-armored knights, the knights, who had been standing upright and immobile, snatched my sword from me with a quick movement and struck me in the chest with their fists.

　My consciousness vanished.