What does the future look like?
Jeanne herself didn't know.
But she wanted to change it—that was all.
If she did nothing, then one year from now, this village would fall into ruin because of the war.
At that time, everything Laurent had built would turn to ashes. Laurent, who had no combat ability, would face a tragic end.
Jeanne didn't want that to happen, nor did she want any regrets.
Or perhaps, as early as her thirteenth birthday, the girl had already resolved herself to do what must be done.
To embark upon this journey and move forward without hesitation, toward success.
She hoped that, at the very end—when she finally succeeded—the one who would greet her would be Laurent.
That moment would certainly be the happiest.
She wanted to save this country, wanted to save Laurent.
After that, she would stay by his side forever. That alone would be enough.
"You must be too happy today. That's why you'd say such unrealistic things."
Laurent didn't seem willing to continue this topic.
The ring tucked inside his shirt, which he had originally intended to bring out today, remained hidden away.
He stood up, preparing to leave, unwilling to speak further—or rather… unwilling to face reality.
"Laurent…"
The girl's heart wasn't uncertain, but she felt regretful.
She wished to receive his blessing.
"How old are you even this year? Haha, how could they possibly expect a little girl like you to save a country?"
He waved his hand dismissively, about to leave. Jeanne turned around, looking at his back.
"Do you remember my thirteenth birthday, Laurent? You said you'd always support me."
Snap.
This simple sentence halted Laurent's departing footsteps. His fists clenched so tightly they trembled, as if something inside him was about to burst forth.
"I hoped I could receive your blessing."
His gaze filled with fury, an inexplicable rage flooding his heart.
But this anger wasn't directed at Jeanne—he knew clearly he shouldn't vent toward her. Yet he still couldn't control himself.
"And you also promised you'd always stay by my side!"
He spun around abruptly, yelling furiously at the girl.
"You want my support? Support for what? To send you off to your death? Or support you doing something so ridiculous? Jeanne, there must be limits!"
The girl revealed a faint smile, reaching out her hand as if to soothe his rage.
"Laurent, you know I can do it. The Lord will guide me."
"Guide you? Haha, guide you?"
Laurent laughed bitterly out of pure anger.
"What would those high-and-mighty bastards guide you to do? Guide a sixteen-year-old girl toward something so absurd, something utterly ridiculous? Jeanne d'Arc! See yourself clearly!"
Beneath his anger lay a deeper helplessness. Even as he shouted, Jeanne could sense his profound despair.
"You're just an ordinary girl who's spent sixteen years by my side! You can't achieve anything! Wouldn't they rather guide warriors—those killers on the battlefield, those naturally suited to fighting? Wouldn't they choose to guide those people instead? Sending you—a girl who's never even set foot on a battlefield—to do this? What gives them the right?"
"Angels? If those so-called gods are nothing but dogs, then I'd rather this world never had faith at all! People don't need this kind of unrealistic belief! They don't deserve your prayers! They're just sending you to your death!"
"Laurent."
"Don't think I'll bless you, Jeanne! I won't ever bless you, and I'll absolutely never agree!"
He hid nothing, unleashing his anger completely.
"If they're so capable, let them come down here themselves! Doing nothing, unwilling to act—just throwing a few useless words down at you, forcing a girl to accomplish their tasks. Are they worthy? They're not worth your sacrifice!"
"Just because of those bastards—just because of those damned gods—you're willing to abandon everything you have now? You're going to abandon me, abandon everyone in this village, to pursue such impossible things? If that's true, I'd rather all those so-called gods never existed, so they wouldn't spout nonsense prophecies to mislead a girl like you again!"
"Laurent…"
Faced with his fury, Jeanne merely gazed at him, eyes filled with pain.
"I want to save you. To save this country."
"Save me? I don't need you to save me! And this country doesn't need a sixteen-year-old girl to save it! Jeanne, please give up these unrealistic dreams."
His trembling hands rested on her shoulders.
"Promise me. Give up on those impossible ideals. I just want you by my side. Jeanne, all I need is you—I don't care what happens to this country. Even if war comes, even if this place falls into ruin again, I'll absolutely find a way. I'll give everything I have to make you happy. As long as you're here, I can overcome anything."
The girl placed her hand on his, gently pressing her cheek against it.
"You've grown even kinder than before."
His expression turned to disbelief, even tinged with despair.
"Why…why won't you listen? All I want is for you to stay alive…"
"Then you should support me, Laurent. You know clearly that I can do it."
He lowered his head without speaking, hands slowly dropping from her shoulders.
"No. I won't, Jeanne. I'll never support your choice. This burden shouldn't be yours. If they have even a shred of conscience, they'd choose me instead—it'd still be better than choosing you."
He shook his head, steps unsteady.
"Is all we have right now worth less than a few words from those damned angels…?"
"It's precisely because everything we have now is so important that I don't want any accidents to happen. Trust me, Laurent."
"It's not about trust, Jeanne! Can trust alone protect you from harm? Can trust alone keep you alive?!"
He flung her hand away, eyes brimming with determination.
"I'll stop you my own way—even if it means you'll hate me."
Saying that, he walked away.
Tonight was supposed to be a wonderful evening. The ring hidden in his pocket shouldn't still be there, unused.
Jeanne watched Laurent's retreating figure, her heart filled with pain.
She placed her hand against her chest.
She had long known how precious everything here was to her.
She would change it—not just France's fate, but Laurent's too.
She absolutely wouldn't allow the future from her dreams to happen.