The head butler’s words were simple and concise, but they were equally difficult to accept. Soon, students’ voices began to burst out sporadically from here and there.

“Excuse me?”

“Wh…what do you mean by that?”

“The dragons have already arrived?”

“That can’t be… the imperial family clearly said…!”

“Yes. We estimated it would take about 200 days. But the dragons came. Precisely on the very day we set sail for the Island.”

He paused to take a breath. Despair, not fear, was etched into that breath.

“Of course, all 100,000 dragons didn’t swarm in at once. Only one came to the Capital, and it was a small specimen compared to the ones before. It might have been the vanguard that the Imperial Spokesperson warned us about.”

“That’s…”

“The moment it arrived, it burned down the Capital and several other cities. There was no criteria to its destruction. It simply burned and destroyed everything in sight.”

“…”

“His Grace the Duke must have acquired the information beforehand, as he left us orders before departing… We were spared from the devastation because we were out at sea. But the others on the mainland were not so lucky. That may very well include the loved ones you all hold dear.”

That final remark was as poignant as it was cruel. The dragons’ premature arrival poured cold water over the flickering flame of hope.

But the problem did not end there. I spoke once more to point that out.

“Then what happened to that dragon?”

“…”

“Surely it isn’t still on the mainland, is it?”

“Not quite. As I mentioned earlier, it was a relatively small specimen, and we have grown stronger since then. We barely managed to fend it off.”

“Did you kill it?”

“We drove it away.”

It was a response that offered no reassurance whatsoever. Some students covered their ears, unwilling to listen any longer, but the head butler’s words continued.

“We only heard this through reports, but His Majesty the Emperor’s army banished the creature beyond the continent. Of course, that didn’t undo the losses we had already suffered. Furthermore… we failed to kill it completely.”

“Are you saying it might return?”

“I mean that if another dragon comes, we won’t be able to stop it this time.”

As he said, the first dragon’s visit inevitably heralded a second and a third. There was no telling when the dragons would strike again. And we would have no way to evade them on our own.

“…”

A dragon attack that had burned down the Empire’s massive Capital. It was a scale of destruction none of us had ever witnessed, so everyone was engulfed by a vague, formless terror. Among the crowd, there were even those who forced indifferent expressions, unable to even fathom the sight. Of course, fear was surely taking root in their hearts. They simply couldn’t show it yet.

“…We still do not know the dragons’ purpose. That is why we cannot predict when the next raid will come. If there is one thing that is certain, it is that they are heralding our doom. And once the main force arrives before long, the entire continent will be engulfed in flames.”

“…”

“I too once believed we still had time left. But that was far from the truth. The destruction of the world does not come in an instant; rather, it tightens around our necks slowly, like a hangman’s noose. No. Perhaps it isn’t even that. It’s just…”

“It’s just that the end might be closer than we think.”

“It was far faster than we expected.”

At that single phrase summarizing the entire situation, no one could easily open their mouth. For this moment, even Haru maintained her silence. It was not an atmosphere that could be defused with a joke as she usually did.

Of course, we were not the only ones feeling this way. After the head butler’s shocking tale came to an end, the students gathered in twos and threes, chattering away about what to do next, each weaving in their own personal circumstances. I didn’t know what conclusion they would reach, but it was clear that this current group was going to splinter apart.

Naturally, there were also those who belonged nowhere and simply drifted about. Take Erika, for instance, who was ambiguously loitering here and there. I deliberately avoided her gaze and turned my back.

“…To think the vanguard would arrive so soon. This is an unexpected situation.”

“I know. It’s a relief that they managed to repel it, at least, but it’s still unsettling. We don’t know when they’ll come back.”

“Even so, we have to move, Haru. We don’t have that much time.”

“You’re right about that. So, I’ve mapped out a few routes for us…”

Ms. Rebecca unfurled a map she had brought from somewhere. She then marked points on several areas that were quite far apart from each other.

“If what you say is true, this port is our final destination… and this is where we disembark. As you can see, it’s not an incredibly long distance, but it isn’t particularly close, either.”

“That’s a shame. It would have been nice if the ship could just take us all the way there.”

“If we did that, our true purpose would be exposed, and more importantly, we’d have to take a massive detour. But dropping anchor at another port isn’t an option either, considering how many areas have been destroyed by the dragons. In reality, where we’re disembarking is the optimal location.”

“Ugh. Looking at it like this makes it seem incredibly far. Are we even going to make it?”

“It isn’t that far. If the railways are still operational, it would take less than a week. Even factoring in the walking distance, it shouldn’t take more than two weeks. But since that’s highly unlikely…”

Her grayish finger traced a long curve along the edge of the mainland. Even at a glance, it looked incredibly complex, and above all, lengthy.

“The first route is to follow the coastline like this. Even if we ride on horseback, it will take at least two months. And that’s assuming we ride without rest.”

“Two months… that feels a bit too long. Plus, it seems like we’d be going too far out of our way.”

“But at least we’d be safe from the dragons. Of course, even that isn’t guaranteed. I can’t promise they won’t attack us just because we’re hiding in the sea. So, if we were to draw a shorter route that entails a bit more risk…”

This time, her finger cut across the inland, drawing a gentle arc. It definitely looked shorter than the previous route, and the path was simpler.

“It would be something like this. This way, we can avoid the areas destroyed by the dragons while traveling as close to a straight line as possible. We’ll even be able to stop by a few towns along the way. The estimated travel time is… one month. If we can secure a decent mode of transportation, it could be even shorter.”

“It’s definitely shorter than before. Though the risk will be much higher, of course.”

“That’s the catch. Still, for now, this is the best route I can think of.”

“But Ms. Rebecca. Around this area, it feels like we’re taking a bit of a detour. Can’t we just go in a straight line?”

“That’s… because if we stray from that path, we’ll get closer to the mountains, making the trek difficult. We could also run into supply issues.”

“…”

At my question, Ms. Rebecca stuttered for the first time. Only then did I realize her gaze was unusually fixated on a single town.

Is that where her son is, by any chance?

She was trying hard to pretend otherwise, but unfortunately, she was not a skilled liar. However, I couldn’t possibly point that out. It was true that her help had been invaluable when we escaped the Island, and it wasn’t as if I couldn’t understand her feelings.

“Haa… this is damn complicated, seriously. I can’t even see the map or anything, so I’m dying of frustration here.”

Just as I was worrying about how to react, Haru fortunately spoke up, completely oblivious to the mood. Her usual grumbling tone felt oddly welcoming at that moment.

“Can’t we just go straight through, destroyed areas or not? Wouldn’t that actually be safer? They wouldn’t bother coming back to a place they’ve already wrecked, after all.”

“It’s the exact opposite. Even on a battlefield, it’s best to avoid ground zero if at all possible. Usually, after a magical bombardment, the ground forces are bound to follow.”

“That’s just how it works in a war. Didn’t these things just destroy everything mindlessly? That old man from House Anbert said so too. There was no criteria.”

“I don’t think that’s the case, Haru. Dragons are much smarter creatures than one might expect.”

At that moment, Saya’s voice flowed in softly. She quietly shook her head and spoke.

“At least, that is what my father told me. He said that even actions which seem completely meaningless to our eyes definitely have a purpose. It will be the same this time. There is something we do not know.”

“When you put it like that, Saya, I have no room to argue. Do you have any guesses?”

“Lope explained it by likening it to a battlefield, but I believe the reason is more biological. When animals enter unfamiliar territory, they sniff around first and mark their territory. The dragons are likely doing something similar.”

“Territory marking. That makes sense.”

“Or they might be trying to create an environment more suited to them. Building a nest, for instance. We should consider that possibility as well.”

“Whatever the truth may be, the fact remains that we need to hurry.”

“That’s right. Let’s disembark first and look for a mode of transportation. If it comes down to walking, we’ll at least need to gather some extra shoes.”

Even the aimless meeting eventually reached its conclusion. Haru stretched her arms and suddenly stood up from her seat.

“Alright, now I need to get my sword back. Those bastards. How dare they snatch someone else’s lover like that. If they so much as scratched the tip of the blade, I’ll gouge their eyes out.”

“…I’ll go with you. I need to fetch my sword as well, Lope.”

“Ah, sure. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Then I will go as well, Ms. Rebecca. I should probably…”

“No. Saya, you stay here. With Lope.”

Ms. Rebecca, who had always humored Haru’s whining, shook her head sternly at Saya. And before Saya could add anything, she immediately left her spot. She showed not the slightest hesitation.

The reason for this was clear without needing to be said. That was why Saya did not ask any further. She simply let her raised hand drop weakly to the floor. Her fingers trembled faintly as they struck the cold stone pavement.

Perhaps due to the cold, Saya suddenly curled up and hugged her knees. Because her hood was pulled deeply over her head, I could not see her expression no matter how much I glanced sideways. I leaned my back against the wall next to her and tilted my head slightly in her direction.

Then, a familiar scent caught the tip of my nose. The fragrance of forget-me-nots was finally beginning to return to her body. But compared to before, it was far too faint. It seemed that even Saya’s scent had been trapped inside a tiny flower bud amidst the freezing winter wind.

When this harsh season ends and spring returns, will the scent of forget-me-nots be able to bloom around Saya again? Dreaming of an uncertain future, I took her hand for no reason. It seemed her dependency had rubbed off on me a little.

“Lope.”

As she tightly squeezed my clasped hand, a low voice slipped out. I replied without even turning my head.

“Yeah?”

“I really shouldn’t have done that.”

“What do you mean?”

“…You see…”

Saya suddenly turned her head toward me. Then, she posed a delicate question.

“Are you afraid of me, too?”

“…”

How should I answer so that you won’t be hurt? Hesitating over my reply without realizing it, I ultimately offered a raw, unvarnished answer, for I was no orator.

“No.”

“I see.”

It was an unconvincing reaction. The words that followed were much the same.

“I am afraid of myself.”

“Saya.”

“Ever since that day, it feels like Haru has been keeping a slight distance from me. She tries not to show it, but I can tell. I am just grateful she still approaches me so brightly.”

“That’s…”

“Perhaps you are the only one on this earth who is not afraid of me.”

“…”

“That’s why I’m even more afraid.”

At that moment, Saya grabbed my wrist. Before I knew it, she was facing me, naturally wrapping her arms around my shoulders and embracing me. Then, with a breath that seemed to burrow into my ear, she scattered a low whisper.

“Even those words—that you are the only one I have—do not seem to be enough anymore. I do not know how to express my feelings.”

“Do not think too hard about it. It is not something you need to worry about right now.”

“But what if it becomes too late? Even now, your time is flowing by at twice my speed.”

“…”

“The one who is clearly going to stay longer in this world is me, and yet…”

A faint hint of moisture lingered in her voice. Saya looked at me with an expression caught between a smile and tears.

“Why does my time feel more pressing?”

“Saya. I…”

“Lope!”

Erika’s voice suddenly burst through the cracks of my indescribable emotions. Seeing our posture, she hesitated slightly before shaking her head and speaking.

“Um… I think you should come out here. Right now, outside…”

“Outside?”

“There are… people.”

Perhaps because of Saya, she offered an incomplete answer. Figuring it would be better to go and see for myself, I slowly rose to my feet.

As I made my way back to the deck, this time it was not the students who caught my eye, but the sailors. They were all gathered along the edge, staring somewhere with eyes full of vigilance.

I followed their gaze and turned my head toward the shore. What entered my field of vision was the sight of the mainland we were finally facing. My heart involuntarily swelled at the pitch-black boundary line of the continent.

But it took less than a second for that feeling to sink.

The shoreline’s boundary was dyed black not simply because the land met the sea, but because of the writhing, restless throng of living beings. Realizing their identity too late, I bit my lip hard.

They were people.

No, to be precise, it was a crowd of people.

A wave of countless human lives lined up along the coast, their numbers entirely beyond reckoning.

As that realization struck me, their desperate screams soon began to reach my ears. Amidst the surging pulse of lives desperately thrashing about, I let out a low murmur.

“…Damn it.”