Fate I

LXXXIV

Returning back to the headquarter camp of the Empire's Army, a tent was immediately cleared and prepared for Kouen, Lucy, and the rest. Each of the Generals had their own tent while Kouen and Lucy shared one as they were officially a married couple to which Kouha only just found out, a look of shock and despair befalling him as he watched his older brother carry in the woman he so loved and yearned for during these five years. But, rather than feeling anger, he wore a soft smile upon his lips as he gazed sadly at the ground for this was how things should be. The two couldn't make a greater couple.

Moreover, he trusted Kouen. He trusted that he wouldn't let her suffer the same miserable fate that his mother had gone through while living as an Imperial Consort in the Inner Palace. He watched as Kouen came back out after making sure that she was safe and had fallen asleep and walking over to him, Kouha bent down on one knee.

"No need," Kouen raised a hand, stopping him.

Kouha stopped and smiled. "Understood."

"How are your injuries?" Kouen asked with furrowed brows, looking at the bandages wrapped around most of his entire body and his head, his dominant arm in a cast. Even though he looked much better compared to when he first arrived after Kougyoku had cleaned up his wounds, one could see just how many injuries he had sustained in this battle. Gritting his teeth, he balled his hands into fists, realizing just how weak he was and how much stronger he needed to be.

"It's fine," Kouha chuckled. "These injuries are nothing."

Kouen narrowed his eyes, knowing that he was lying. Even if he had gotten used to being injured while living out on the battlefield, this time, he had gone beyond his limits. He not only sustained physical injuries but his magoi was pretty much depleted. If Lucy hadn't arrived, then...thinking about it, Kouen's eyes darkened, wishing that he could've personally killed them once more after what they did to the people most precious to him.

"Phenex."

The hilt ornament attached to his sword glowed as an eight-pointed star appeared on it. A bird resembling much like the phoenix but with a softer and more mellow appearance appeared. As if knowing its master's intentions, Phenex spread its wings and enveloped them around Kouha and softly petting his entire body, his body glowed a soft, pastel pink. Having finished its job, Phenex resided back into her metal vessel.

Kouha stared at his body and feeling a sudden lightness, he moved and widened his eyes. Undoing the bandages, he checked his body up and down, patting the places where his injuries had been and breaking out into a huge smile, he waved his arm and feet wildly.

"It's healed!" he exclaimed and threw his arms around him. "En-nii, you're the best!"

Kouen smiled and patting him on the head, Kouha shut an eye. "You did great," he said, his eyes brimming with confidence. "Kouha."

Kouha widened his eyes before pulling his lips into a soft smile, his light maroon eyes soft with happiness. "Of course I did," he grinned. "I am the Supreme Commander of the Kou Empire's Imperial Army, after all!"

Kouen laughed. "Indeed you are. It seems like you've grown up before we realized it."

"En-nii," he pouted. "I'm already fifteen. I'm already considered an adult."

"Well," Kouen looked him up and down and seeing how much he had changed, he gave a soft chuckle, "I suppose that's true."

Standing at a similar height to Koumei and with a well-toned, muscular body, he had changed a lot from the small, little boy — who was even shorter than his younger sister Kougyoku — he sent off to the battlefield that day whose body could barely handle the change in the size of his metal vessel for no more than a short period of time. During the five years, he truly had changed quite a lot. Seeing him standing before him in person and getting a clear look of his appearance, he could see why so many officials had offered their daughters up to him to which Kouen refused them all in his stead for the one thing he wanted for his siblings were for them to marry the person they truly loved and not be tangled up in a political marriage. Unlike his other siblings, they weren't disposable pawns. They were his family.