I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 4 Chapter 11.1

Eric: Saint

“Sigh.”

Outside the royal capital, on a vast grassy plain, I – Eric – sat down, gazing absentmindedly at the endless horizon and letting out a sigh.

The reason was quite simple: my first love had come to an end. Lady Nina had decisively rejected me. I couldn’t make use of the last chance she had given me. No, perhaps that chance never existed in the first place. As long as I remained who I was, Lady Nina would never have turned to me.

She had said it herself. She didn’t need a knight to protect her from all external threats, and she would not become a damsel who needed protection.

Her words were a rejection of my aspirations to become a knight. That’s why I was shocked, and lately, I hadn’t been able to interact with her properly.

Well, even so, I couldn’t give up on this first love… but I gave up during the mid-term exams. Watching her in combat, in mock battles with the student council, and in one-on-one duels with me, I realized that she had been holding back considerably.

I was confident in my swordsmanship. While Lady Nina’s skills, which I had seen during the welcoming event, were indeed amazing, I believed that I could catch up. I had deluded myself into thinking that if she witnessed my true abilities, she would change her mind.

What a fool I was. Lady Nina’s true swordsmanship surpassed mine by far in every aspect. How could I have ever said that I would “protect her”? If I could meet my past self, I would probably give him a good beating.

I couldn’t recommend myself to the person I loved so much, and the idea that I was a strong warrior was nothing more than an illusion. Now that I knew that, I couldn’t afford to daydream about love. My goal was to become a knight who could protect everyone. That was the only line I couldn’t cross.

But… for now, I wish I could allow myself to be melancholic. The end of a love that had lasted for over ten years, from the moment I first laid eyes on her, even if it was an acceptable outcome, was still painful.

“Sigh.”

I couldn’t count how many times I had sighed.

As someone aspiring to be a knight, it was a pitiful sight, but I couldn’t help it. After all, there was no one around, so…

“Why are you sighing, troubled about something?”

“Huh!?”

Suddenly, I was spoken to, and I turned around in surprise.

There stood a woman with golden hair and eyes the color of a nightingale. She wasn’t glamorous, but there was a simple and charming quality about her.

“Wait, aren’t you… the Saint?”

I remembered seeing her at the entrance ceremony. She must be the woman chosen as the Saint for this generation.

In contrast, the Saint wore a cheerful smile.

“Yes, though I am inexperienced, I have been entrusted with the role of the Saint. I am Seira Isente Horait. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh, uh, likewise.”

I couldn’t explain why, but I felt a kind of pressure from her. It was like the aura of the Saint, and I couldn’t help but want to bow before her.

The Saint, seemingly unaware of my inner turmoil, continued the conversation.

“So, are you troubled about something?”

“N-No, I’m not troubled at all.”

She seemed genuinely concerned judging by her expression, but there was no way I could reveal that I was feeling down because of a failed romance. As a man, I had my pride.

Then, Seira tilted her head in confusion.

“But you’ve been sighing so many times.”

I winced at her pointed observation, my words getting stuck.

As she pointed out, repeatedly sighing and claiming not to be troubled was clearly contradictory. However, that didn’t mean I was ready to spill the beans.

“I can’t talk to you about it.”

“Why not?”

“It’s none of your business.”

Even if I set aside my pride, discussing the details of my failed romance with someone I had just met was out of the question. I felt bad for her concern, but I wanted to shut her down completely.

However, Seira took an unexpected action.

“Could you please tell me your name?”

“Huh?”

“I already introduced myself.”

“…Why?”

“I’d like to know your name.”

“Well…”

“I did introduce myself,” she insisted.

I had to admit she had a point. Allowing a lady to introduce herself while withholding my own name would go against the code of chivalry.