Kael pushed open the study door and found more than a dozen people standing inside.
The moment they heard the sound, every head turned at once. Sharp, burning eyes locked onto him.
Being stared at by so many people all at once left Kael frozen in the doorway.
In his life simulation, every moment with the Resistance had been in Text Mode.
To be honest, aside from the named characters from the original game, he didn't recognize a single face here.
But the soldiers inside the study recognized him instantly. Their expressions shifted from shock to raw emotion, and a few even burst into tears.
Kael braced himself and forced out a greeting. "Everyone… long time no see."
"Captain!!!"
"Lord Kael!!!"
A dozen tall, broad-shouldered warriors surged toward him, surrounding him completely.
"Captain, why didn't you come find us after you revived?!"
"We missed you so much!"
"Captain, after you left, we lost more brothers… I'm sorry, I failed them…"
"Lord Kael, we didn't win the final victory on the battlefield, but… Inazuma is slowly getting better. Our brothers didn't die for nothing…"
"Captain…"
The ones calling him captain were the most emotional, nearly sobbing aloud.
They had to be the men from Swordfish I — the brothers who'd fought by his side the longest.
Seeing all those earnest, grief-filled eyes, something inside Kael softened.
The discomfort vanished. He looked at every one of them and felt only warmth.
He couldn't help smiling. "You've all worked so hard. You did great."
At those words, the soldiers completely broke down. They collapsed against him, hugging him, crying like children.
It took a long time for everyone to calm down.
One of them wiped his eyes. "Captain, the moment we heard the announcement from the Yashiro Commission, we rushed here. We thought if someone dared impersonate you, we'd fight the Yashiro Commission itself to grind that bastard into dust."
"But it was really you… Captain, you're really alive…"
Kael felt a pang of guilt.
This whole life simulation had been for Ayaka's sake, and after appearing in this world, he'd gotten caught up in chasing the most interesting ending.
And since he'd never actually lived with the Resistance in person, he'd forgotten that there were people on Watatsumi Island who still carried his memory… and his death.
"I'm truly sorry," Kael said softly. "After I revived, I went straight to the Yashiro Commission. I didn't have time to tell you…"
"No, Lord Kael, you don't have to apologize! Just knowing you're alive is enough! You're our symbol. Many of us kept fighting because of you!"
"You stopped the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi with your bare hands!"
"You may have died, but your spirit carried the rest of us forward!"
The speaker looked familiar, so Kael studied him more closely.
The man turned bright red under Kael's gaze. "L-Lord Kael, it's normal if you don't recognize me. I'm Teppei, captain of Herring I!"
Kael's eyes widened.
No wonder he looked familiar — it was Teppei.
Right… in the simulation, Kael had exposed the existence of Delusions early, and the Delusion Factory had been destroyed by the Yashiro Commission.
The Resistance had seized a huge number of Delusions.
That must be why Teppei never ended up overdrawing his life and dying from Delusion sickness.
"Right, Lord Kael! Look!" Teppei lifted the Vision hanging from his chest, practically glowing with pride. "I awakened a Vision!"
A Resistance soldier smacked him upside the head.
"You idiot, are you seriously showing off your Vision in front of the captain?"
Ever since Teppei obtained it, he wore it like a badge, placing it front and center so no one would miss it, and bragging everywhere about being blessed by the gods.
That was fine normally — but did he not see Kael didn't have a Vision?
Teppei rubbed his sore head, realizing he'd gone too far again. He laughed awkwardly. "N-no, I'm not showing off to Lord Kael…"
He looked up with bright, earnest eyes and a huge grin.
"I wanted to tell Lord Kael that it was because of him. Even as a normal person, I kept thinking we didn't need to fear the strong. Ordinary people can fight too. And during a battle with the Tenryou Commission, I awakened my Vision."
"I was finally noticed by the gods!"
At that, every soldier around him immediately reached out with merciless hands and started bonking him again.
"You say you're not showing off, but listen to yourself!"
"Yeah, you looking down on normal people or what?!"
"If anyone's blessed by the gods, it's Lord Kael! He literally came back from the dead!"
Teppei tried covering his head as they pummeled him. It was one versus many, so he didn't last long. His hair soon stuck up like a bird's nest.
He hugged his Vision protectively and whined, "Come on, I just wanted to tell Lord Kael…"
Watching Teppei's ridiculous energy and remembering the tragic fate he once faced, Kael felt a complicated mix of relief and gratitude.
He met Teppei's eyes. "Even without a Vision, you were one of the bravest soldiers in the Resistance."
"Still, I'm happy you awakened one."
Teppei had achieved his dream. He had become a true Vision holder.
Kael's chest warmed.
Teppei scratched his messy hair and grinned like a fool.
Hehe… Lord Kael said I'm the bravest…
The other soldiers glared at Teppei.
Look at this guy, showing off in front of Lord Kael again.