When I came to, it was morning.
I must have fallen asleep without realizing it, still wrapped in the pleasant feeling after my first time with Claire.
Claire wasn’t next to me in bed.
“Did she go home already…?”
I sat up and put on my clothes.
My lower abdomen felt strangely light.
I still felt the lingering sensation of that intense ejaculation from last night.
“I’m not a virgin anymore…”
With a profound feeling, I left the annex and went outside.
“Ugh…”
Bathing in the bright morning sun, I felt refreshed.
I decided to head home and started on my way.
As I passed through a plaza, someone was walking towards me.
“G-good morning, Abel.”
With her crimson hair tied in a ponytail and her slender, tall figure—it was Claire.
It felt awkward to face the person I had sex with yesterday like this.
Yet, I also felt a sweet, bittersweet joy that made my back tingle.
Perhaps Claire felt the same way.
She seemed uneasy, her gaze wandering elsewhere.
“Um, I’m sorry I left first…”
Claire apologized, her voice flustered, a stark contrast to her usual confident demeanor.
“I woke up before you, so I went back home. I thought you might be waking up soon, so I came back here—but you were already awake.”
“No, I just woke up a little while ago.”
“I-I see…”
Nodding, Claire averted her gaze again.
She kept glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.
A silence fell between us.
It was subtly awkward.
I felt an odd sense of urgency, thinking I needed to make some small talk to fill the void.
“S-so, are you not in pain? It was your first time… right?”
“I still have a feeling like you’re… still inside me, but it doesn’t hurt. I’m fine.”
As she said that, Claire turned her face away again.
“…Thank you for your concern.”
“You’ve been looking away a lot lately.”
I blurted it out before I could stop myself.
“It’s embarrassing, so I can’t help it!”
Claire exclaimed, her face turning red up to her ears.
“We did something so embarrassing yesterday…”
“Yeah, I’m honestly embarrassed too.”
When I admitted my true feelings, Claire finally looked at me and let out a small chuckle.
What is this feeling between us?
We’re not lovers, but I felt closer to her than ever before—this distance felt strangely comfortable.
Silence fell again, but this time it wasn’t awkward.
In fact, the quiet air was pleasant.
After a while, Claire broke the silence.
“By the way—there’s something I need to talk to you about. Is that okay?”
Her expression shifted from shy to serious.
“It’s important.”
“N-no way, are you going to confess your love to me!?”
I leaned forward involuntarily.
“N-n-no, that’s not it… That’s… too soon…”
Claire waved her hands in a panic.
So, it wasn’t that sudden of a development.
But she said “not yet,” which means someday Claire and I—
“You want me to join the Royal Knight Order?”
I was back in my room with Claire.
—When we returned together, my mother was grinning.
“Please, make yourselves at home,” she said, before retreating to the kitchen.
I wondered if she suspected we’d slept together, given the village’s customs.
Thinking about it made me feel a strange itchiness and unease.
“Hum hum hum~”
My mother’s humming could be heard from beyond the door.
“I’ve always thought Claire would be the perfect bride for Abel~”
Her voice, whether she was talking to herself or trying to make us hear, was mixed with the humming.
“U-um, what did you want to talk about?”
I cleared my throat lightly and asked Claire.
“I want you to join the Royal Knight Order.”
—And that leads to the dialogue at the beginning.
“No, I don’t have much stamina. Becoming a knight would be impossible.”
“Joining the Knight Order doesn’t mean becoming a knight. It means lending your power as a mage within the Order.”
Claire explained.
What’s going on? I don’t understand.
“Let me explain in more detail. This country hasn’t seen any major conflicts for a long time, but you know that we’ve had minor skirmishes with the Magatsu Empire for about six months, right?”
“…No, not really.”
I was quite out of touch with current events.
Even in my previous life, I only looked at the TV listings in the newspaper.
“In short, it looks like a war is imminent between the Magatsu Empire and the Aisha Kingdom.”
“W-war!?”
I exclaimed in surprise.
Come to think of it, the mage from yesterday was talking about an invasion of the Aisha Kingdom…
Having only done farm work until a few days ago, I had no real sense of the gravity of the situation.
I’d only ever known war from movies and news reports.
After all, I grew up in peaceful Japan in my previous life.
“So, the Royal Knight Order is establishing a special unit to fight against the mages of the Magatsu Empire. They’ll be selecting from elite knights, mercenaries from home and abroad, mages, and priests.”
Claire continued her explanation.
“It’s difficult for knights alone to counter mages. We absolutely need cooperation with mages and priests.”
“…Are you perhaps asking me to join that unit?”
“You’re a rare mage, Abel. And you’re so strong. You would be a great asset as a defender of the kingdom.”
Claire spoke passionately.
“The selection exam for that will be held near the Royal Capital. If you pass, Abel, you’ll officially become a member of the special unit of the Knight Order.”
“Special unit…”
“It’s a unit being established under the direct supervision of the Queen. Those who achieve great deeds there will be granted immense wealth and glory.”
Does that mean a great opportunity for promotion?
Instead of ending my life as a farmer in a remote village, I could rise to prominence as a key figure in the country.
From an ordinary previous life to an extraordinary transmigration.
From an average high school student to a chosen, special person—
The initial feeling I had when I discovered my talent for magic began to burn anew.
A feeling I had gradually faded and almost forgotten, after years and years of toiling in the fields and living an ordinary life.
It was vividly returning to me.
Saving the country from the Empire’s invasion and becoming a hero—a childish fantasy was now a reality within reach.
Of course, war comes with danger.
But yesterday’s battle was easy.
It wasn’t just a difference in level—
I felt it was a difference in dimension itself.
The Empire probably has mages much stronger than the one I fought yesterday.
But I felt a budding confidence that I could handle anything.
Alright, I’ve decided.
I will join the special unit.
“I’ll go, with Claire.”
