From beginning to end, Sidney had merely watched in silence from the side. She neither objected nor lent a hand, only frowning slightly with her lips tightly pressed together and a solemn expression on her face, as though she were not in the forests of western Metz but in the solemn sanctuary of the Temple of Flames. Seeing her like this, Brando could not help thinking that she truly lived up to her reputation as the saintly image of the Lion Sanctuary Palace. Then he noticed the tattered golden-red sacred robe she wore and understood that her appearance here had not gone smoothly, and that finding him was probably no coincidence either. Without a doubt, she had not sided with Her Majesty the Queen's New Religion.
She had a teacher-and-friend relationship with Vala, and she was a person of strong principles. It was impossible to imagine her betraying the teachings of the Golden Flame Sacred Way.
"Sorry, my mind's a little muddled," he explained.
"It's nothing," Sidney replied.
"Thank you for saving me."
Sidney nodded in response.
As he answered, Brando surveyed the surroundings. The forest was quiet, its lush leaves forming a green carpet. Not far away, a stream murmured between the rocks. A deer in the woods raised its ears and warily faced their direction, creating a tranquil and peaceful scene. This still seemed to be the valley from before, but there was no sign of the battle. It seemed they had ultimately fallen somewhere far away. He had no idea whether White was nearby or whether even her soul had vanished completely.
Brando could not help feeling a headache coming on. It seemed Medissa still respected her Imperial Sister quite deeply. He had no idea how she would react to this outcome. If she came to resent