That voice was a bit familiar with what I have heard in the past… I quickly turned to see who was the person that had spoken with me.
But as soon as I saw the person, I couldn't recognize her at all since she was wearing a full-face helmet. So there's no way I could know who that person under the helmet is.
"Um? Who are you and why do you act as if you know me?" I said that towards the person.
That person then started to give me a light punch on my arms, "You clearly don't remember me? How could you…" That person gave me another smack on my arms.
At first, I was a bit bewildered as to who this person might be. But somehow my memory about a certain someone was flashing in my mind right now. Thus making me think that the person standing right in front of me was her.
"Could it be? Is that you Kather?" I said that as I immediately stood up as if that person was Kather, then I would be rather happy as it's been a long time since I saw her.
Because after Ellyn left the village, the only person that I had was Kather. Well, there's a Jack but we aren't this close before…
Kather was the only one that I always stick with. Part of it was because I was training swordsmanship from her father who the villagers refer to as Master Bastion. So I was quite close to Kather and had a memorable time despite the situation being a bit awkward after that the truth was spilled out by Ellyn before.
Despite that, our friendship doesn't deteriorate one bit as somehow that just makes it a bit worse. As Kather was becoming more honest about her feelings towards me, which make me hard to play it dumb.
It's fun I would say that my feelings did grow for her back then. But of course, the chances of me confessing that feeling of mine were shattered, as Kather then left the village just like what she told me back then when it was Ellyn's last day in this village.
…
"Took you long enough…" She paused as she remove her helm, "So shouldn't you be saying welcome back or something like that you idiot Ceonre!"
Kather's style doesn't change that much besides two ponytails… though she does have a more mature face and she's becoming more ladylike compared to before. But of course, her behavior of punching me is still there which I kinda hope would be gone after she has grown up.
"Why would I be doing that… it's not that necessary but instead of that. Why are you here and why are you wearing soldier's armor?" I ask her that question.
"You think this is a soldier's armor!? This is a commanding officer's armor, a higher ranking than a normal soldier's armor… as I am the captain of the Heavy Infantry unit." Kather said that.
Upon hearing that, I was a bit shocked. "Wait?! You a captain… aren't you a bit too young for this."
Truly Kather was too young to become a captain as she was the same age as me. I thought that a captain would only be given to some old people that reach the age of 40 plus. So for someone who was at this age to get that title of captain, it's certainly shocking.
Plus, what achievement does Kather have done to deserve that title? Because almost all the people that attain that title would always have done something in their life to earn it. Thus I do wonder what Kather had done in those 10 years to deserve that title.
"If you wanted to know, I am the youngest captain ever in army history. But all of that was because of my talent in combat of course… Some say that I am better than my father." Kather said.
It seems like Kather was really a talented swordsman like her father. I always thought that because we spared against each other back when we were little. She always managed to beat me easily no matter how hard I train.
Well, it's not like I say that Kather didn't train hard but she had the talent and thus could grow more powerful than me.
"Oh, you're indeed stronger than me so I believe you in that matter." I simply said that as there's no more to be said about that.
Kather then looks at me as she then asks me, "Um? So have you joined any units already?"
"Nah, I failed two tests so for now, I don't belong to any unit," I said.
Saying that was the worst mistake that I made as soon as Kather heard about that. She immediately asked me to join her unit. She also said that I wouldn't need to take any tests since she knows my abilities pretty well as we do train under the same master when we are young.
But I declined that offer since I knew what unit Kather was in. That unit would be in the battlefield and was the most important one as well. As I wanted to minimize the chances of me getting killed, I couldn't join the unit at all costs.
"Why wouldn't you want to join! State your reason…" Kather said that she was a bit angry at me for not wanting to join her unit.
I could just make up a reason why I do wish to join but that wouldn't be good. Honesty is the most important thing here as Kather was my friend and it's not good for me to lie about it.
"You know how weak I am right, so I wouldn't want to be in that unit that could let me get killed. So-"
But before I could even explain further my reason… Kather then hit me in the arm yet again but this time it was much more painful.
Kather said, "I know you are weak and that's why I want you to be with me… So that I can protect you from any danger, that's why I train my hardest. All because of you Ceonre… Can't you see that?"