What would it feel like to meet an old boss after retirement?
That’s the feeling I have right now, but it’s hard to express in words.
“How have you all been?”
At Schneider’s first question, Valtean and I flinched simultaneously.
It was an instinctive reaction from having been under his command before.
Even if I didn’t react, Valtean might have asked why he flinched, but to be fair, Valtean is Schneider’s friend and ‘junior’.
Despite the rank and retirement sequence getting tangled during the war, this is actually the truth.
Valtean, perhaps embarrassed by his reaction, squared his shoulders.
I pretended not to notice and asked.
“Why did you call us?”
There’s no way he gathered us for a nostalgic reunion.
This man has always been known as someone who only cared about the Second Prince.
“Why else? Just to see your faces after a long time.”
B*llshit.
That word almost slipped out of my throat.
Valtean had a similar look, like he had bitten into something unpleasant.
“I wanted to call the former head of the Triaina as well, but he had other commitments. A shame.”
Please, no.
One strict old man is enough.
“…If you’re busy, there’s no helping it.”
“But it’s been so long since we all gathered. We should make the most of it.”
The former head of the Triaina is one of the commanders of the special task forces like me.
The Second Prince’s special task force consists of Astrape, Kyne, and Triaina. The former head of the Triaina is a senior of Schneider’s rank.
“You both seem to think there’s a reason I called you, but there’s none. I just wanted to see you.”
Impossible to believe.
How many times have I been fooled by that stony face?
During my training days, he once said we could rest easy and then stabbed a knife between my brows.
Valtean may not know, but I received direct training from him, which is why even now, seeing his face sends chills down my spine.
“Ern.”
“…Yes.”
“How’s your role as the Princess’s Personal Guard going?”
“So far, nothing much. A few suspicious individuals tried to approach, but as you know, I handled them well.”
“Is that so.”
Not Astra, but Ern.
The choice of words made me think, ‘Is it really just a casual meeting?’
This man usually calls me by my code name for business matters but uses my nickname when there’s some affection.
“There are still two vacancies in the Personal Guard, right?”
“Yes.”
“Does Her Highness have anyone in mind?”
“She doesn’t seem to.”
“You’ll have a hard time ahead.”
Schneider turned his head to look at Valtean.
“Valtean.”
“What.”
“I heard you got a job as Her Highness’s attendant.”
“Yes.”
“You planned to live a normal life with your wife. Is it okay to be in the castle?”
“It was my wife’s choice. I’ve already caused her enough trouble, so I can’t say anything against it.”
“Are you okay with it?”
“As long as my wife is happy, I’m fine.”
“…Is that so.”
A slight smile appeared on Schneider’s lips.
It was barely noticeable, but I saw it.
What is this? It’s a bit scary.
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Officially, your records and Ern’s have been erased. Your achievements, names, identities, all of it.”
“…That’s right.”
“Don’t you want a new identity?”
“…What do you mean?”
He nodded beside me.
A new identity, he says.
We already have identities.
Though our identities from the special forces were erased after we retired, we didn’t need to create new ones.
“What I mean is, don’t you want a new name?”
“…A name?”
Valtean and I tilted our heads simultaneously.
“The names you have were given by the Empire and your comrades, weren’t they?”
“That’s right.”
“Now that you will be living the lives you have chosen, you should have names of your own.”
Schneider said this and took a sip of his tea.
Seeing our confused reactions, he showed a slightly irritated expression and spoke.
“You’re still as clueless as ever.”
Schneider sighed deeply.
“Just think about it. It seems like neither of you has fully moved on from your days in the special forces.”
*****
A name.
Ern had never considered it before.
Ern Astra.
A combination of a nickname and code name given by the special forces, carrying its own meaning and reflecting his life.
But now, to change it to something that fits his current life? That seemed unlikely.
‘A name, huh…’
Still, maybe changing it is the right thing to do.
As Schneider said, Ern had become someone completely unrelated to the special task force the moment his records were erased.
Changing his name to symbolize becoming a new person certainly had its symbolic meaning.
Yet, it felt unnecessary to change his name just for that reason.
He didn’t feel the need for a new name.
Meanwhile, there was a girl contemplating the same subject from a slightly different angle.
‘A name…’
They were sitting on a bench along a path in a flower garden.
Epherna had said she wanted to visit the garden in the castle.
Epherna glanced at Ern.
She was waiting for a chance to call his name.
She recalled Bergamot’s advice.
‘Just say it.’
It’s not complicated.
Ern.
Just two simple syllables.
Bergamot had said that once she managed to say it once, the second time would be easier.
And as the second time leads to a third, and then a fourth, it would naturally change their relationship.
From a vague relationship between an adult and a child to one between a man and a woman.
Epherna had such expectations as she opened her mouth.
“Er…!”
She felt a lump in her throat.
Her heart suddenly pounded, and her face flushed. She tried again.
“E-E-Ern…”
Weird.
Something was wrong.
It felt like she was malfunctioning. She had practiced perfectly, so why now?
In fact, this reaction was somewhat natural.
To Epherna, Ern had always been an adult she could rely on.
She couldn’t imagine treating him as a man until she became aware of her feelings.
Breaking the adult-child relationship was a significant hurdle for her.
“Little One, is something wrong?”
As Epherna hesitated, Ern turned and asked.
He had noticed her deep in thought for a while.
Her lips tightened.
“If you have something on your mind, just say it. It’s better than worrying alone.”
Encouraged by his words, Epherna thought, ‘To hell with it!’ and met his eyes.
She raised her eyebrows slightly and squared her previously slumped shoulders.
“Mister!”
Ern wondered if she was angry.
Anyone would think so, seeing her determined expression.
What could have made her angry?
He couldn’t guess, but it probably wasn’t a trivial matter.
Epherna had been angry many times before, but she had never exuded this kind of atmosphere.
Ern listened carefully.
“From now on, call me by my name.”
…Huh?
He was puzzled.
Unsure how to react, there was a moment of silence.
As the silence dragged on, Epherna’s shoulders slumped again.
Lacking confidence, she mumbled.
“You always call me ‘Little One’… So… I was wondering if you could start calling me by my name…”
Ern almost asked if she had been worrying about something like that.
If not for Epherna’s flushed face and tone, Ern might have dismissed it as a trivial matter.
Relieved that it wasn’t something serious, he readily accepted her request.
“Alright. From now on, I’ll call you by your name.”
“…Okay.”
Epherna nodded.
Thinking the matter settled, Ern stood up from the bench, ready to change the subject to lighten the mood.
However, Epherna grabbed his sleeve, causing him to turn back.
“Call me now…”
For a moment, he stood frozen.
This was the first time he had seen Epherna’s face so red, almost ready to burst.
Epherna, without lowering her head, was determined to hear him call her name.
Ern was overwhelmed by the intensity of her presence.
“…Alright.”
Ern’s mouth moved hesitantly after he reluctantly agreed.
He thought there would be no harm in calling her name, so he should just do it comfortably.
Just before speaking, he cleared his throat unnecessarily.
“…Cough….”
Ern cleared his throat for no reason.
Clearing his throat seemed to prepare him, but words still didn’t come out easily. He thought to himself.
‘This is a bit…’
What to say?
It felt a bit embarrassing. She had always been ‘the Little One’.
Although she recently gained the title of ‘Princess’, he hadn’t had the occasion to call her that, so it felt like a non-existent title.
Thus, calling her by her name felt strange.
Ern finally managed to utter the unfamiliar word that lingered on his tongue.
“Epherna.”
*****
Thump. Thump.
Epherna buried her face in a pillow, stomping her feet.
Her face, hidden in the pillow, twitched slightly.
– Epherna.
That single word had such an impact that she couldn’t bring herself to speak another word to him afterwards.
Returning to the Princess’s quarters, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed made the events of the day sink in.
“…Ugh…!”
In reality, in terms of progressing a romantic relationship, they hadn’t even taken a step.
They had barely lifted a foot off the ground.
Yet, she kept imagining impossible futures.
In her mind, she was already racing through outrageous scenarios.
‘In the future… we could do even more than this.’
When she grows older.
When her childlike body matures and she gains the charm of a woman, calling his name would become a natural, effortless thing.
Moreover, since he is a man, when she becomes an adult, he won’t be able to see her as just a child anymore.
This thought made her smile widely.
How should she treat him when she becomes an adult?
Perhaps she should start changing her attitude now. Since physical growth is continuous, that would be the right approach.
Epherna spent the night contemplating how to adjust her mannerisms and demeanor.
‘I wish time would pass quickly…’
And so, three years passed.
Three years, short for some, but a very long time for Epherna.
