Keel stamped his foot in regret. The reason he couldn’t come with us was because he’d fought recklessly and had to get his injuries treated.

“Keel, are your injuries all healed up?”

“I’m all good! They weren’t that bad thanks to you, bubba!”

“It’s been a while, Keel.”

Raphtalia smiled as she approached Keel. The other kids that had been standing at Keel’s side backed away several steps, speechless.

“Surprised, right? That’s Raphtalia!”

“No way . . .”

“Is that really Raphtalia?”

“She looks completely different!”

“Rafu!”

Just then, Raph-chan jumped up onto Raphtalia’s shoulder and howled.

“Ah! That was Raphtalia’s voice!”

“This little thing?”

“What is that? It sounds like your voice, Raphtalia.”

“Umm . . . Just ignore this little thing.”

“It’s a shikigami that was made using a lock of Raphtalia’s hair. They’re known as familiars here. Her name is Raph-chan. Be nice to her!”

“Oh? So she’s kind of like Raphtalia’s alter ego?”

“Keel! Don’t say that!”

I left Raphtalia and the others to rekindle old friendships and went to talk with Eclair and the old Hengen Muso lady.

“How have things been progressing? You’re working on rebuilding the territory, right?”

“Umm . . . About that . . .”

Eclair’s mood suddenly darkened.

“My student Eclair here has been training quite hard. The reconstruction, on the other hand, has not seen much progress,” interjected the old Hengen Muso lady.

“Oh?”

So it was so bad even the old lady could tell. Hadn’t the queen said that Melty was helping out?

“I fully intend to follow in the footsteps of my late father and rebuild the territory, but . . . I haven’t been able to find much help. It seems it will take quite some time,” Eclair explained.

“Well, your father’s connections can only take you so far, I’m sure. The Church of the Three Heroes made things a lot worse, too, from what I hear.”

“. . .”

Raphtalia’s family had died along with many of the villagers. On top of that, I’d heard that many of the survivors had been captured and sold into slavery.

“After all, you can’t expect the people that originally lived here to return if most of them are dead. Not to mention, the residents that were made slaves were all sold off before the queen could secure them. You’re trying to locate them now, right?”

“That’s right. We’re working behind the scenes to do everything we can to bring them back.”

“And what happens when you do? Let’s say you find ten, maybe twenty of them. Are you just going to throw them into the ruins of a town and say, ‘Alright! Rebuild your town!’ Is that your plan?”

“. . .”

Eclair fell silent. So that was seriously her plan? Try thinking ahead a bit! I couldn’t help but sigh. Eclair had an overly serious personality that made her an excellent knight, but she lacked the qualities that made for a good governor.

“Hey, where is Nice Guy, the guy that was taking care of Keel? Or even one of the country’s leaders will do. We need someone to drill you in the basics of reconstruction!”