Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 235: War is coming

"This is Slya, and this is Tiber. They are my companions... my friends," Vale introduced them.

They had gone from the wall to inside, to Nadia’s room. At first, Slya and Tiber had given them space to talk, and Vale had made good use of it.

As expected, she knew about his supposed death and his father’s death. She also knew that Thrain now called himself the Clan leader.

And the said Clan leader had sent word of her mother’s death.

Vale saw the answer in her eyes before he even had to ask, and it broke something in him. He knew. He saw how close she was with her mother. It was something he was a bit envious of, but then, she showed him love as well.

They had stood in the room in silence, and although she had said she did not hold him accountable for what Thrain did, Vale knew something had changed between them. No matter what, he was now the brother of her mother’s killer.

After that, they had talked. After Vale apologized and told her he would bring her his brother’s head. It was the least he could do, after all.

They talked about how they had spent the time. She told him she was at the peak of Knight rank and was thinking of a way to advance to Errant rank.

Vale told her... part of his story. He realized with surprise that he could not tell her everything. She even knew less than Slya and Tiber.

But at least now she knew he was alive, an Errant Knight who had the support of two Master Knights, and that he was gathering forces against his brother.

There was no hesitation, and she immediately pledged her support.

"And guys, this is Nadia, my childhood friend."

It was strange watching the two groups meet. Vale did not know he was a bit anxious about it until he saw them together.

It was like mixing two different colors together. One might get a beautiful color out of it or something not worth looking at.

Nadia smiled and then bowed. "Thank you for taking care of him."

Slya smiled and took a step forward. She tapped her gently on the shoulder. "It is more like him taking care of us. Of course, he will not show it and would rather pretend he does not care!"

Nadia returned the smile. "Oh, he has always been like that! But I can only imagine how much worse it has become. He would rather sneak behind my back to fight my bullies, come back with wounds, and still tell me he got them during training!"

Vale cleared his throat before it became a full retelling of his childhood. "How about we get something to eat? We only had tea, and it has been a long night. We can discuss what is going on then."

As if that was a signal, Tiber’s stomach rumbled, and the older man grimaced. "I guess you are right, Vale."

Nadia grinned. "Follow me. The cook always makes extra so she can give it to the street beggars later. She will have to cook extra, extra today."

☆☆☆

They ate and talked, and after that, they retired to their different rooms. Vale had been flying for most of the night. He needed time to recover, and sleeping did just that.

By the time he woke up, it was close to the evening. He must have been more tired than he thought because he slept for so long. He did not immediately leave the room. Instead, he stood up and walked towards the window.

Although the small castle he was in was walled from the other parts of town, he was still able to catch a glimpse of the townspeople going about their daily lives.

It was far different from the bustle of the capital.

Vale studied them for a long time and sighed. "War is coming. My first one, but I know it will leave a long scar on them."

"... At the end, those who will suffer the most are the civilians, the ordinary people, the weak... As the strong, is it my responsibility to protect them? Isn’t that selfish of them?"

He did not know how long he stood there, but by the time he became aware again, the sun was setting. He dressed up in his black leather armor, which was made to resist his fire somehow, then left his room to search for the others.

A servant was already waiting and led him to the hall where Tiber, Slya, and Nadia were sitting around snacking on chopped meats.

Vale joined them. They shared small talk about the rumors flying around and the newest joke in the Clan now, the Elders. Nobody had seen or heard from any of them.

After that, Vale talked with Nadia about what was going to happen. First, she needed to close her gate permanently. No one in or out without permission. The town was going to be the headquarters of the south.

And then, the castle would be empty of everyone except her since it was going to personally host Vale and all the other top officials.

He was tightening up the place against spies. He knew he could not entirely root them out, but he was going to try. Nadia understood, and she nodded as such.

After that, he stood up to go. "I will instruct Lieutenant Patel about you. She will be the one to lead the army here. Alright then. I am going to see the progress of the army, and then we are off to Rikon to see the chief."

He sent his tower out the window and into the sky, then absorbed himself together with his companions before flying away.

☆☆☆

Nadia watched him go, and her face hardened. She always knew her friendship with Vale was unfair. He was a prince, and she was a maid servant’s daughter.

She had worked so hard just to keep up with Vale during their early training, and he had always had the edge over her. And then, on the day of manifestation, she showed the world that she was more than her birth.

She finally surpassed him. Until he showed his potential, and it was greater than hers. She was pushed to the back again.

But then he was a Forbidden, and everything ended for him. Only for him to appear again like that just when she had worked so hard again.

"He is now an Errant Knight," she whispered. "All these three years and more, and I am still a Knight rank. And my mother is dead. It is so unfair."