Commander Curtis, who had collapsed on the ground, had his eyes completely closed. His face was pale, probably from losing too much blood.
Leaving him like this would be dangerous...
I crouched down and touched Commander Curtis's body, healing his injuries while leaving only the superficial wounds to avoid looking unnatural. I could also awaken his consciousness, but I decided it wasn't necessary and waited for him to wake up naturally.
While still touching Commander Curtis, I turned to Aerial.
"Aerial, it's true that Commander Curtis drew his sword first, but this is going too far! Even if he wanted to protect the sick, this is excessive self-defense!"
As I scolded him with a stern look, Aerial's eyes darted around, showing his unease.
"N-no, that's not it! What we wanted to protect was the Great Saintess! When that azure knight suddenly drew his sword with a face like a demon's reincarnation and headed towards you, I thought we had to protect you at all costs!!"
"Huh? I'm not the Great Saintess!"
After instinctively denying it, I remembered my role and rephrased it.
"Ah, no, I might be the Great Saintess. ...Why do you think that?"
From their previous reactions, I didn't think Aerial and the others believed I was the Great Saintess. I assumed they hadn't heard the story about me being the reincarnation of the Great Saintess, but perhaps they already knew?
"You have the same red hair as Dawn, and the moment you saw the sick, you had a look of understanding. Seeing that face, I, we, were convinced that you are the Great Saintess who promised to return one day."
As he said this, all the residents who were acting as guards knelt down. They placed their hands on the ground and bowed their heads as low as possible, apologizing.
"Truly, we are deeply sorry!! Despite your magnificent hair, we failed to recognize you as the Great Saintess and committed numerous acts of rudeness!! Please, please forgive us!!"
"There's no way I'll forgive you!"
A voice of denial immediately interrupted.
Surprised, I turned around to see Commander Curtis, who was supposed to be unconscious, sitting up and glaring at Aerial. Despite bleeding from all over his body and having a pale face, his eyes were filled with a determination that was different from before.
"You have committed an unforgivable act against the supreme Great Saintess! Remember what the Great Saintess has done for the people of Sutherland! Remember, and pray to the gods! I will send you to the afterlife without suffering."
As he said this, Commander Curtis stood in a position to protect me and picked up his fallen sword.
Seeing Commander Curtis with his sword, I felt a sense of unease.
...Who is this? It's Commander Curtis, but it's not Commander Curtis?
Until he regained consciousness, Commander Curtis was considered the weakest among the other knights. However, the current Commander Curtis's strength is completely unknown.
Just because the bottom of a pond is visible through clear water doesn't mean the water is shallow. Commander Curtis's strength seemed to me to be a deep, unfathomable abyss.
Reflecting on my past life, I realized that when I couldn't gauge someone's strength, they were always incredibly powerful...
I stared at Commander Curtis, trying to confirm this, but when I realized the aura of killing intent emanating from him, I quickly stood up and grabbed his arm.
"Please, calm down, Commander Curtis! I understand you're angry, but please bear with it. Look, if you behave, your wounds will heal in no time."
Commander Curtis looked down at me with an indescribable expression after hearing my words.
"......I don't know where to begin with my comments."
"Huh?"
"I am sending them to the afterlife because they were disrespectful to you. Even if they kill me, I have no resentment towards the actions taken against me."
"Huh?"
"Furthermore, the reason my wounds are almost closed is not because I acted according to some vague standard of being good, but because you healed me."
"......Huh?"
Surprised by Commander Curtis's words, I stared at him, and the moment our eyes met, he blinked twice.
"......Huh?"
---The moment I saw that gesture, I suddenly felt tense and pressed my hand to my chest.
My heart was pounding, but a calm voice in my head said, "It can't be."
---"It can't be."
---"Stay calm."
However, seeing a familiar habit, I didn't know how to think.
---In my past life, 300 years ago, whenever our eyes met, he would always blink twice, as if he had seen something dazzling. It was his unchanging habit.
But... but...
...Confused, I stared at Commander Curtis, clinging to him desperately. He looked back at me with a troubled expression, one that I knew well from 300 years ago.
"...It's him, it's him, it's him."
Despite the calm voice in my head, my heart was screaming.
I continued to stare at Commander Curtis without blinking, and he put his sword back in its sheath with an awkward expression. Even that gesture felt familiar.
"...It's him, it's him, it's him. ...I can't be wrong about him."
Without any logical reason or evidence, I was convinced deep in my heart and couldn't hold back any longer. I opened my mouth.
"...I thought your grave was here, but... I couldn't find it."
My voice was trembling, and anyone could hear it.
Commander Curtis looked troubled when he heard my words.
"I believe a grave should be where the heart returns. My grave is next to the Demon King's Castle, where I served the only and revered master I ever had."
The moment I heard those words, tears streamed down my face.
Seeing my tears, Commander Curtis knelt in front of me as if he had been shot, and his hands wandered, unsure whether to wipe the tears from my cheeks. Even his awkward gesture couldn't stop my tears.
"...Canopus."
I called his name for the first time in 300 years, directly to him.
Commander Curtis, with a pained expression, clearly replied.
"Yes, Seraphina-sama."
The moment I heard those words, new tears overflowed from my eyes.
"Canopus, ...Canopus, ...Canopus"
"Yes, ...Yes, ...Yes, my lady."
"Uuuu... Canopus!"
I suddenly squatted on the ground and covered my face with both hands, sobbing.
Canopus, still looking flustered, remained true to his earnest and loyal nature, not touching me unless I commanded him to. Despite crying, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Hehehe, Canopus..."
Canopus, with the utmost sincerity he could muster, offered me a handkerchief and said, troubled.
"Here, I'm sorry it's mine, but if you need it, please use it. If you need it..."
I took his hand with both of mine and, with a tear-streaked face, told Canopus.
"Canopus, thank you. ...For returning to me."
"...Yes."
Canopus answered with a burning serious expression.
Seeing his earnest face, I finally realized deep in my heart that it was really Canopus.
---My earnest and loyal guard knight.
I never thought I would meet you again---
Canopus continued to wander around me, looking flustered and troubled, but I couldn't stop crying for a while.
...Hey, Canopus.
You look so worried, but it's you who's making me cry...