As expected, the carriage arrived in the royal capital, Clockronde, just as the sun reached its peak in the sky. It passed through the checkpoint smoothly and continued onward, rolling through the castle town, which was beginning to regain some of its former liveliness.

“Chronos-sama, Claym-sama, we have arrived at the royal castle.”

At the voice of the coachman, who had transported us here over the past two days, His Highness and I stepped out of the carriage.

“Thank you for bringing us this far. It was a great help.”

“Much appreciated.”

As soon as we disembarked, almost as if waiting for this exact moment—no, in truth, he had indeed been waiting—a single attendant rushed toward us.

“I am relieved to see you return safely, Your Highness, Claym-dono! It must have been a long journey, but please proceed to the audience chamber at once. His Majesty and the ministers are awaiting you!”

The attendant, dressed in a dignified suit, bowed deeply. Though he tried to maintain a calm facade, he could not completely hide his flustered demeanor. His urgency was palpable.

“I understand. Clay, I must trouble you to accompany me a little longer.”

“Of course. Let’s hurry.”

With that, His Highness cast a meaningful glance at me. I had no objections. Urged onward by the attendant’s “This way, please!” we followed him toward the same audience chamber as yesterday.

The atmosphere within the castle had changed drastically from the past two days. Just yesterday, the air had been thick with gloom, the corridors deserted and silent. But now, it was a flurry of activity, with countless attendants and knights hurrying about.

Even so, their expressions remained grim, the air around them heavy. For some, the tension was nearly suffocating, an indescribable urgency driving them forward.

...The war is about to begin...

I had known this, but seeing it unfold within the castle made it all the more real. The people bustling about were preparing for the impending war, compelled into action by necessity. It was a cruel reality, devoid of mercy.

“Tch—”

As I walked down the wide corridor, I found myself clenching my fists tightly.

There was no time to despair. Even if forcing themselves to move was the only way to increase their chances of survival, the mere fact that they had been placed in such a situation was unbearable. Unconsciously, I averted my gaze from those hurrying past me.

After passing through the throng of people, we eventually arrived at our destination.

A grand door, adorned in red and gold, exuding an oppressive presence that intimidated all who approached. On either side stood two knights, their posture rigid, ensuring that nothing suspicious entered.

Seeing our attendant rushing ahead of us, the knights straightened even further, their backs stiff with discipline.

“We have been expecting you, Your Highness Chronos, Claym-dono. His Majesty, King Lycas, and the other esteemed individuals are already assembled inside.”

“Understood. Allow us entry.”

One of the knights provided a brief summary of the situation within. His Highness acknowledged it with a nod before placing his hand upon the door. The massive structure, though heavy, swung open smoothly, allowing us to step into the audience chamber.

“Chronos Chronostaria, Claym Bradley, returning from the Sacred Peak of Time.”

As we entered, we were greeted exactly as the knight had stated. Awaiting us were members of the Seven Peerless Swords and a select few trusted confidants of His Majesty. The door behind us closed softly. After taking a few steps forward, both His Highness and I knelt, offering our formal words of return to the king seated upon the throne.

“Hmm, I am glad to see you both return safely. However, I must ask you to share the details of your journey without delay. I regret having to trouble you so soon after your return.”

“Understood. Clay, can I leave this to you?”

His Highness lifted his gaze, granted permission to speak. He looked at me with a furrowed brow, an expression of mild guilt. Ever considerate of his people, he seemed reluctant to burden me.

But there was no need for him to feel that way. After all, I was the one who had spoken with the dragon. I had yet to explain any of it to His Highness, so it was my duty to convey the details here. There was no reason for him to feel guilty about leaving this to me.

“Of course.”

To reassure him, I forced a small smile before turning my attention to King Lycas.

“Then, if I may, I, Claym Bradley, shall relay the words of the Time Dragon, Rievenkroktas.”

“Very well. I entrust this task to you, Claym.”

King Lycas gave a firm nod, and I continued.

“First and foremost, the dragon will not participate in the Great Dragon War this time.”

“What! Are you certain?”

“Yes.”

At my words, His Majesty and the gathered ministers gasped in despair. It was only natural. To them, who had revered and relied on the transcendent beings known as dragons, the revelation of their non-participation was nothing short of a catastrophe. Their reactions were predictable.

But knowing that, I did not hesitate as I continued to speak.

“The dragon is bound to his own domain due to a contract with the world.”

“A contract with the world…?”

“Yes. I couldn’t hear the full details, but the Time Dragon said it was the price for overusing his authority.”

At the king’s perplexed words, I could only nod.

That damn lizard number two apparently interfered too much with the world using his power, and as a result, most of his authority is now restricted. Even if he could leave his domain, Sacred Peak of Time, freely, he no longer possesses the power to stand against the Shadow Dragon. It’s completely self-inflicted.

──Well, not like I’m in a position to judge…

While I sneered at myself inwardly, the words left my mouth almost reflexively.

“Taking that into account, he has given me the knowledge to defeat the Shadow Dragon. In this Dragon-Slaying War, the kingdom’s side is on the offensive, while the empire is on defense. Considering the Shadow Dragon’s words and these circumstances, the Time Dragon proposed a strategy for me to defeat the Shadow Dragon alone.”

“──!!”

As expected, even though these were the words of their master, the Time Dragon, the content left them speechless.

And that was understandable. They had been hoping for something more optimistic, some groundbreaking advice from the dragon. They weren’t expecting such a reckless, desperate gamble. When I first heard the proposal, I thought he was joking too. But after hearing the rest, I realized his idea wasn’t as absurd as it initially seemed. In fact, I couldn’t dismiss it as foolish at all.

“By using a certain method, even someone as ordinary as me could potentially defeat the Shadow Dragon—or so he believes.”

That’s why I was sure that once they heard the details, they would understand. …No, they had no choice but to.

After finishing my report in the audience chamber, I left the room.

In the end, the king and his retainers decided to base their battle plans and troop formations on the Time Dragon’s proposal. As part of this arrangement, I was granted the authority to form a personal unit for this war.

“At least five people… huh.”

In a way, this was both a consideration for me, who would serve as a kind of special operations force in this war, and also an act of great generosity from King Lycas.

As proof, my unit’s formation was given top priority, and I was granted full discretion in choosing its members. That meant I now had the authority to organize an elite squad under the kingdom’s direct command—the Seven Peerless Swords. It was an excessive privilege for someone like me, a mere student with no real accomplishments.

And yet──

“In a way, this is also… inconvenient.”

For me, the authority granted was also a chain.

“What should I do about this…”

Letting out a deep sigh, I momentarily stopped thinking as I arrived home for the first time in days. The moment I stepped into the mansion, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed over me. It seemed my body had reached its limit without me even realizing it.

“Ah! You have returned, Lord Claym!!”

“Yeah, I’m home, Kanna.”

As I stood blankly at the mansion’s entrance, I happened to run into Kanna, who was passing through the foyer. She hurried over and gave me a deep, respectful bow.

“You must be exhausted from your duties at the castle. Meals and a bath are prepared and available at any time. What would you like to do?”

“Thanks. Not right away, though. I think I’ll rest in my room for a bit.”

“Understood. Please take your time and recover your strength.”

“…Really, thanks a lot.”

“It’s nothing. I am simply doing what is expected.”

After returning her bow and expressing my gratitude, I climbed the stairs to my room on the second floor.

As expected, the mansion was bustling with activity due to the upcoming Dragon-Slaying War. Given the role of the Bradley family, all of its servants were being mobilized for war preparations. It felt somewhat wrong to rest in my room while everyone else was busy, but I swallowed my guilt and continued on.

Just as I reached my room and placed my hand on the door, I suddenly sensed someone’s presence inside.

──Why is someone in my room?

It was suspicious, but the presence and flow of magic within the room were familiar. I had my doubts, but there was no reason to be on guard. So, I decided to ask directly.

“Isn’t it a bit improper for a duke’s daughter to be lounging in someone else’s room without permission, Freesia?”

When I opened the door, the sight that greeted me was a silver-haired girl casually sitting on my bed.

For a brief moment, her eyes widened, but then she gave me a gentle smile and spoke.

“Welcome home, Clay.”