The next day.
The first ray of morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains and fell across Hilde's face.
Hilde opened her eyes.
She casually shoved aside Isolte, who was wrapped around her and sleeping soundly, then got up, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtains, letting the fresh air outside flood into the room.
Then she turned to look at the bedroom, which was a complete mess, and could not help sighing.
Damn it, I got pinned down again.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Hilde thought.
She and Isolte were supposed to be fellow travelers on the path of training, close friends who looked after each other in daily life. They were supposed to meet through some chance encounter, become acquainted through a fight, earn each other's recognition through sparring with swords, then deepen their bond after going through certain events. They would encourage and push each other forward, seeing the other as both a rival they had to surpass and an irreplaceable teacher and friend. After training together for a time, they would be forced to part temporarily for various reasons, promising to settle the score again when they next met. Then, as time passed, guided by fate, the two close friends would be forced to draw blades against each other because of differing positions and ideals. At the highest point in the world, they would charge at one another while shouting each other's names. After a fierce clash of destiny, they would reconcile hand in hand atop the ruins and walk together toward a brighter future.
It was supposed to be like that.
Hilde had no idea what had gone wrong.
She had always thought that although Isolte cared deeply about her, she did not have those kinds of feelings. She