No goodbyes. No explanations. Compared to Jeanne's departure, Laurent's felt more like quietly running away from home.
He looked back one last time at the village where he'd spent more than a decade, ultimately sighing helplessly.
In the end, it was all because of his weakness.
He'd never put in enough effort before. Now, when he finally needed power, he had none.
Jeanne's departure—he couldn't stop it.
It wasn't that he couldn't force her to stay. It would've been easy to restrain her by force. But if he did that, there would never be happiness again.
He wanted her to live. More importantly, he wanted her to live happily.
Yet, truthfully, he had briefly considered those cowardly thoughts just days ago.
He had considered restraining Jeanne—not out of courage, but out of the helplessness of being unable to stop the war itself.
But Jeanne was not the one he should blame. His true enemies were those angels, those who ignited wars.
That's why he had to set out on this journey.
He'd burned the wedding clothes, leaving only the ring to accompany him. That alone was enough.
Laurent didn't know what he would encounter along the way, but he felt no fear. Ever since Jeanne's thirteenth birthday, he'd already decided to protect her forever.
The war itself was the true culprit.
If he had the strength to stop the war—to prevent it entirely—Jeanne wouldn't have to face that tragic ending.
History showed clearly: England invaded, and France tried to reclaim its territory.
So, he needed to change that.
Since Jeanne had already begun her journey toward victory over England, Laurent would do the opposite—he would enter England and try to change things from within.
But before he could do any of that, he needed strength. He needed enough power to change history.
Maybe it was finally time for him to act like a man.
Looking at the screen's "Path of Evil," Laurent gave a sarcastic chuckle.
Was it mocking him? Showing him the mission details now of all times—or had the system long predicted the path he'd eventually choose?
The Path of Heroism was now completely darkened, but Laurent could still check its contents.
[Assist Jeanne d'Arc, follow her onto the battlefield, protect her, become her trusted companion, and fight alongside her.]
That was the Path of Heroism. If he followed her to the end, history would likely record him as a hero who served the Lord.
Yet that was meaningless. This path's outcome would only replicate the tragedy of history.
Laurent didn't want that future.
He knew clearly Jeanne wouldn't officially step onto the battlefield for another year. Though she'd departed at sixteen, this first journey would lead nowhere.
Was it some local lord or general who refused her?
Either way, history clearly recorded her rejection during her first attempt. It was only a year later that she finally joined the war officially.
In other words, Laurent had about a year to complete his own task.
He looked again at the panel.
[Path of Evil]
[Lake of Legends]: It is said that in a frozen land far to the north lies a lake formed from blood. Humans who pass its trial will obtain unmatched power and immortality.
The system then provided him with a detailed map.
This update appeared exactly when Laurent had thought about keeping Jeanne by his side even if she came to hate him.
His expression hadn't been good then, but now he felt oddly relieved.
That's right—he couldn't forcibly twist Jeanne's ideals. Instead, he needed his own strength to protect her.
He just didn't know what kind of trial awaited at that lake.
Yet even so, he must embark on this journey.
Afraid of being refused, he'd told no one of his departure.
...
On the first day, he didn't travel far.
Travel in this era meant relying solely on horse-drawn carts. Even reaching the next town took considerable time, let alone crossing countries.
Laurent carefully saved his supplies to ensure he arrived safely at his destination in good condition.
Unfortunately, in this chaotic age, things were rarely simple.
"Halt the cart up ahead!"
Arriving at the next town, there was an inspection. Not only identity but also travel expenses and carried items were checked.
Laurent didn't understand these procedures well, as this was his first trip outside the village.
Thankfully, after a simple inspection of his luggage, they quickly let him pass.
By the time he entered this town—his first real city—it was nearly evening.
Looking around at the bustling crowd, Laurent finally felt a sense of prosperity he hadn't experienced in years.
"This is far enough. Thanks."
After paying the driver, he searched for a place to stay overnight. If he couldn't find one, he'd sleep in an alley. The weather was mild enough to spend a night outdoors if necessary.
He hadn't brought much money. If he stretched his resources, he might last two months at most, maybe squeezing out another fifteen days.
But luckily, Laurent eventually found a cheap place to stay. Though the conditions were hardly comfortable, at least it was better than sleeping outdoors.
Taking out the still-warm bread he'd brought from home, he planned to subsist on these provisions for a few days.
History really is history, he thought. I wonder what Jeanne will do during the year after she's rejected.
Would she keep trying and preparing herself until the following year?
After pondering briefly, Laurent's attention returned to the map.
After an entire day of travel, the marker had barely moved. Estimating roughly, reaching his destination would take around two months—as long as nothing unexpected occurred.
He wondered again what exactly the trial would be, and what kind of power awaited him. As for immortality…
That wasn't something he desired at all.
As a doctor, Laurent had seen too many life-and-death separations. Death didn't scare him. Immortality did.
He understood the pain of continuing to live while those you loved most passed away.
If possible, he'd have preferred a peaceful, ordinary life with Jeanne.
That would've been the best possible ending. Unfortunately, that silly girl was simply too kind-hearted—always wanting to save the whole world with her noble ideals, something far beyond the duty of a young girl like her.
Besides, historically, she wasn't officially recognized as a saint until the twentieth century anyway.