After hearing Telsche's words, I shifted my thoughts from seeing off my disciples to the reclamation of the Kyokuto region.
We were planning to perform a long-distance teleport from the Hitia Duchy to the Kyokuto region.
The Spirit Dance Festival begins in the Kyokuto region today.
This festival is a major annual event, and many people from other countries visit as well.
It is the time of year when foot traffic within the Kyokuto region is at its heaviest.
We will blend into that crowd to infiltrate the country and first grasp the local situation.
Then, after assessing the circumstances, we will devise a plan to expel the church from the Kyokuto region.
The reason for this is that the current Kyokuto region is under the church's control, and due to its geographical characteristic as an island nation, most of the information reaching us from outside is fragmentary, making it impossible to verify its authenticity.
That is why we need to obtain reliable information using our own eyes and ears on the ground.
Only after doing that will we finally be able to take the next step.
Ideally, the best outcome would be to drive out the church and have Fuuka regain her position as princess.
If she returns as princess, we would be able to openly investigate the core of the world of laws—the Phoenix Shrine.
However, that is ultimately just my own convenience.
Fuuka herself has no attachment to returning to the position of princess.
The only thing she wishes for is to reclaim the Kyokuto region from the church's clutches.
To grant that wish, we will give it our all.
I have been helped by Fuuka many times until now.
Even if that help was meant to use me as a piece to reclaim the Kyokuto region, that doesn't matter.
Fuuka is a precious comrade to me.
If that comrade is seriously wishing for something, if she says she needs my strength, then—I want to help her with anything.
"Understood. Then shall we go?"
After reorganizing what we were about to do, I called out to Telsche and Luna.
Just as we were about to leave the mansion,
"Orun, before we depart, may I ask you one thing?"
Telsche spoke up.
"Something you want to ask? Of course."
I stopped and turned to face her.
"In that case, I will step away for a moment."
"No, it's nothing I'd be troubled by you hearing. Luna, you can stay here too."
"…I see. Understood."
Luna tried to considerately leave the area, but Telsche stopped her.
"So, what did you want to ask me?"
"What I wish to ask is about my foolish little sister."
Foolish little sister? Ah, she means Rain.
To prepare for any unforeseen events, I had asked Telsche to stay stationed in Tsutrail for several months.
She had only returned to the Hitia Duchy this morning.
Why bring up Rain at this timing? I wondered, but she had traveled together with Rain from Tsutrail to the Hitia Duchy.
…Something must have happened during that journey.
"Orun, have you truly forgiven that person who created the trigger for the destruction of your hometown?"
The trigger she refers to is probably the incident about ten years ago when Rain was deceived by the church's sweet words and teleported Belia and the others to the Dawn Village.
The Dawn Village had not only a teleportation-blocking barrier but also multiple layers of security against outside enemies.
It would be no exaggeration to say that it should have been impossible for the people of the Dawn Village to fail to notice intruders.
However, Rain's Space Leap was able to bypass all those interferences and teleport Belia and the others directly into the Dawn Village.
That was because she is a Singular Magician.
Before I regained my memories, I had been unable to recognize my own ability and had forcibly convinced myself that my Impact—Momentary Ability Super Elevation—was a "bug in magic."
But that was not a bug at all.
The real bugs would be the singular magics used by Rain and Loretta, the royal guard of Princess Lucilla.
…Anyway, I got sidetracked. I need to answer Telsche's question.
"Yes, I have forgiven her. To begin with, I have never once felt like blaming her."
"…I know that Orun is a person with a broad heart. But why are you able to forgive someone who committed such foolishness?"
Telsche's eyes seemed to hold complicated emotions as she asked.
"Well… it's hard to explain in words, but 'because there was no malice in Rain's actions.'"
Telsche listened to my words with a serious expression, as if not wanting to miss a single one.
"If we speak hypothetically, if on that day we had been able to repel Belia and the others who came to the Dawn Village, what do you think would have happened?"
"That would… deal a major blow to the church. On the contrary, we would have been in a far more advantageous position than we are now."
"That's right. In that case, the one who created that opportunity would have been Rain… She would have become the key figure who dealt a heavy blow to the church."
"!? B-but in reality—"
"—Yes. We suffered defeat and tasted bitter hardship. …In other words, what I'm trying to say is that Rain's action on that day ended in a result that was close to the worst for us, but that is ultimately nothing more than the result. If there was no malice in Rain's actions, then I have no desire to blame her any more than necessary."
"..."
"History and the past are accumulations of results. This is my personal opinion, but I believe that 'result' is something that lies beyond the 'process' of the present."
Everyone is living the present—the process whose future is unknown—with all their might.
Whether the future result that lies ahead will head in a good direction or a bad one cannot be known until it arrives.
"Some people say the result is everything, but I… want to properly look at the process as well. After all, it would be frustrating if my life story were summarized with just one word: the result."
"So that is what you believe, Orun."
Telsche murmured with an expression of understanding. It seemed my thoughts had gotten through to her, which was good.
"Yes. However, this is ultimately just my own way of thinking, and I have no intention of forcing it on anyone. If you feel you cannot forgive what Rain did, Telsche, then I will respect that."
I have memories of the time I spent with Rain in the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky before I regained my memories.
Because of those memories, I understood that there was no malice in Rain's actions and had no desire to blame her.
Telsche must also have memories of spending time with Rain as sisters.
Whether those memories were good or bad is something only she knows.
"But if there is one thing I can say to you, Telsche, it is that Rain has a past—a process—that you don't know about, which she has accumulated since leaving the Hitia Duchy until today. If you're curious, why don't you ask her? I think Rain would happily talk about it."
"…Thank you. Hearing your words has helped me sort things out inside. I am grateful that you gave me your valuable time before our departure."
"It might have been meddling, but Telsche accepted my advice with a smile.
"No, I'm glad I was able to talk about it too."
For a brief moment, a gentle atmosphere lingered, but then—
"Then I will guide you to the main store of the company."
With those words, the air tightened.
We then headed to the teleportation room in the main Downing Company building.