***
"I am the masked man who protected the back gate."
After that bombshell of a statement, a ripple of murmurs spread through the memorial ceremony.
Everyone must have been surprised.
The recent invasion had been a great ordeal for everyone at the academy.
And naturally, the 'masked man' who had shown such outstanding performance at the back gate was a subject of much interest.
Perhaps due to the nature of the memorial ceremony, there was no major commotion.
But a look of bewilderment flashed across everyone's faces.
I calmly met the countless gazes directed at me and opened my mouth.
"The reason I stand here on this stage, revealing my identity, is... to convey that every word that follows is the absolute truth."
Though my heart pounded with anxiety, I forced myself to speak clearly.
I couldn't afford to show any weakness.
Right now, I had to project an image of someone 'trustworthy.'
I put on the mask once again.
My expression beneath it was carefully neutral and composed.
"We have been through so much."
The truth was, until a few months ago, I had tried to avoid standing in front of others like this.
I had even resolved to hide my abilities and move quietly.
The swords at my waist were all razor-sharp.
I was afraid of attracting unwanted attention and hostility from those who envied or feared my power.
'Sorrow,' a divine relic of immense value, my exceptional combat skills, my background as a Duke's son... all of these were things that the villains of this world would covet.
I was afraid.
Afraid that my future would be filled with endless conflict.
So I tried to conceal myself as much as possible, living with bated breath.
But not anymore.
"In the past few days... we have lost five students."
They were the ones who crossed the line first.
And they would continue to do so.
In such a situation, to cower and retreat would only earn me the label of a coward.
I was tired of being afraid.
I had lived in fear long enough.
Now, I wanted to stand tall and protect the things I cherished.
"To some, it may be just five students... but to us, it's different."
The children who were sacrificed in the recent invasion.
To some, they were classmates who shared lighthearted conversations.
To some, they were familiar faces encountered a few times at the academy.
To some, they were students under their tutelage.
To some, they were irreplaceable best friends.
Even if they weren't close to me...
They were precious to someone.
"One death... one sorrow is not enough to encompass the loss."
The death of a person cannot be simply represented by numbers.
Five casualties.
Beyond that dry statement lay immeasurable pain.
The families, friends, lovers, and teachers of the victims... countless people shed tears.
For just one person.
"As someone who participated in the defense of the back gate, I witnessed their deaths up close."
The scene was still vivid in my mind.
The children bravely charging forward, wielding their weapons.
"They perished so easily."
It was just one swing of Recus' spear.
Yet, that was enough to send severed heads tumbling to the ground.
It wasn't fierce, dramatic, or passionate.
They just died. Senselessly.
As if the thread of life could be severed so effortlessly.
"They didn't die fighting heroically. It was utterly meaningless. Like helpless livestock being hunted down... they were brutally slaughtered."
My honest observation followed.
Perhaps because of my blunt words, some students frowned.
But I had to do it.
To honor their sacrifice, I had to be harsh.
To awaken these students, dulled by peace, they needed a jolt.
"It was a pointless massacre, not a noble sacrifice."
The students now stared at me with wide eyes.
As if they couldn't believe what they were hearing.
Their eyes burned with anger directed at me.
Yes, that's what I wanted.
You have no right to wallow in sorrow.
"The reason they had to die is simple."
I pressed on, my gaze sweeping over the subdued students.
It was an accusation.
"They stood there to protect you."
Those didn't hesitate for a moment.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world.
They stood against the monsters, stabilizing the atmosphere of the battlefield, which might have been precarious with just me alone.
"And what did you do?"
I questioned them.
What were you doing?
While your fellow students risked their lives to defend the academy, what were you doing?
"Were you pathetically running away with your tails between your legs? Or were you screaming in terror?"
As if struck by the truth of my words, the students lowered their heads.
"The reason they had to be sacrificed is simple."
I poured my emotions into my voice, pushing the disheartened students.
Anger and contempt.
"Because you were weak. That's why you couldn't protect them."
It was a twisted argument, yet...
In a way, it was the truth.
If the students had been strong, there wouldn't have been any casualties.
"Aren't you ashamed? That you couldn't protect anything? If you had been stronger, braver enough to protect everyone, maybe... just maybe, they would still be alive."
These were words meant for myself as well.
If I had been a little stronger.
If I had noticed a little sooner.
If I had acted a little faster.
Maybe, just maybe, those five children wouldn't be buried in the ground today.
We had to carry the weight of our guilt.
For failing to protect them.
For not being strong enough.
-......
The initially restless atmosphere among the students had settled into silence.
They must have grasped the meaning behind my words.
To lose something...
Meant that you weren't strong enough to protect it.
Weakness invites loss.
"I stand here today because I want to change."
I would no longer hide.
If this cruel world wouldn't leave me alone...
I would gladly take up my sword and face it head-on.
If I were trampled a hundred times, I would rise a hundred and one.
If I were broken a hundred times, I would bloom a hundred and one.
With that resolve, I would become an unyielding breakwater against the crashing waves.
-I'm tired of this feeling of helplessness... I no longer want to be someone who needs protection, but someone who protects.
-I aspire to be like my teacher.
-I will inherit the will of the Guardian.
There was no falsehood in my vow back then.
I wanted to become a shield.
A source of comfort and safety for those who trembled in fear.
Mother, Teacher, Rachel.
Like those who supported me through difficult times.
Inspired by the memory of my own salvation, I would rely on them and move forward.
"Countless dangers will continue to threaten the academy... no, the Empire."
This was the first step.
I would declare my goal here and now.
"I will protect the things I love from that darkness."
So that my speech would resonate with the students.
So that this small flame, carried by the wind, would reach their vast forest.
And may the spreading fire engulf us all.
May its heat banish the chill of winter nights, illuminating our surroundings with its fervent glow.
"I intend to gather those who share my will."
I needed trustworthy comrades.
Or rather, I needed the strength to face the constant threats that lay ahead.
I was going to establish a 'group.'
A group that could serve as a practical pillar, like the student council or the disciplinary committee, to protect the academy.
I had met with the Headmaster in preparation for this.
And talented individuals like Ariel, Lucy, and Margaret were by my side.
"If the flame you harbor within... aligns with my ideals... then follow me."
I declared resolutely.
"We are Sentinel."
Those who watch, the Sentinels.
A name that signified our unwavering vigilance against danger and our dedication to protecting the weak.
"We are the guardians who watch over this academy."
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