Chapter 25: First Outing (1)

-“…Buy me… shaved ice…”

It was the first weekend since arriving in Anatolia, and finally, Exia’s patience, which had been held back for so long, erupted.

-“When exactly are you going to buy it for me…? You made it sound like I could have it right after you turned me human… This is a scam!”

“Why don’t you just go out and buy it yourself? You have hands and feet, don’t you?”

-“I don’t actually have hands or feet, do I?! You turned me back into a sword!!”

Exia shouted in frustration.

Indeed, Exia had spent most of the past week in sword form. Even when she took on her human form, she couldn’t stray far from Sion’s side.

The reason was simple. Sion did not yet want to let this troublemaker wander freely.

Exia was curious and overly meddlesome.

However, with such traits, she lacked the intelligence to solve problems effectively, making her a disaster waiting to happen.

If left alone, she would inevitably cause trouble within half a day and come crying back to Sion. Knowing this all too well, Sion could never allow Exia to roam freely.

Fortunately, Exia had at least partially accepted this arrangement. Anatolia Academy was as large as a small city, and if she got lost wandering around alone, there would be no way back.

In her human form, Exia was nothing more than a timid little girl, and the risk was too much for her to bear.

So she had lived without much resistance up until now.

-“But I’m at my limit!!!”

Exia screamed.

There was a limit to how much one could endure.

To be given human status and then made to wait another five days? How was that any different from putting a sumptuous meal in front of someone and then forbidding them to eat it?

She couldn’t bear it any longer. She had to have shaved ice. A sweet, delicious strawberry-flavored shaved ice.

-“Shwish. Swish. Shwishy ice. Give. Shwish. Swish. Shwosh. Give me ice. Shwish. Swish. Shwishy. Ice. Give. Shwish. Swish. Swosh. Give me ice. Shwish. Swish. Shwosh.”

“It seems you’ve lost all semblance of linguistic ability…”

Sion clicked her tongue. Did this girl have no pride as a holy sword? At this rate, she’d probably sell her very soul for a bowl of shaved ice.

Sion sighed and stood up from her seat.

“Fine… Alright. Let’s go.”

-“Really?”

“Yes. It’s the weekend, so we can go into the city today.”

A promise is a promise, even if it didn’t have a set deadline. Since she’d baited her with the promise of shaved ice, she had to at least keep her word.

After all, it wasn’t an enormous effort.

Seeing Sion actually preparing to go out, Exia cheered loudly.

“Yay!! I love you, Sion! I knew you wouldn’t let me down, dear Sion!!

I’ve always respected your vast character and profound wisdom—”

“Cut the nonsense and get ready to lower your resistance. I’m going to cast a transformation spell.”

“Yes, sir!!”

Exia replied cheerfully, full of energy. If only she were always this obedient. Sion chuckled.

Anatolia City was a satellite city that had formed around Anatolia Academy.

Before the academy was established, there had been nothing here. Or rather, there had been something, but it had been destroyed.

This was the first place where a gate from the Demon Realm to the Human Realm had opened. It had been the largest gate by far.

Naturally, by the end of the war, it had become a wasteland, trampled by the invading army, where not even a blade of grass could grow.

There were many theories about why Esther and Mana chose this location for the academy grounds.

Some believed it was to monitor whether another gateway to the Demon Realm would open in the future.

Others thought it was because the area’s high concentration of magical energy made it the most suitable place due to the gate’s influence.

Or perhaps it was none of these reasons, and the land was simply extremely cheap. Neither Esther nor Mana was particularly wealthy, even in jest.

For whatever reason, they chose this place and transformed Anatolia into something entirely different.

The ruins that had been little more than ashes were reborn as a magnificent planned city, rivaling the capitals of the Empire or the Holy Kingdom.

And to Sion, this transformation was particularly moving.

“To think that this area would develop so much… Five hundred years is indeed a long time.”

She murmured with a nostalgic expression as she looked around.

It was a bustling street full of life.

The buildings, all boasting vibrant colors; the meticulously maintained sidewalks, not a crack in sight and the throngs of people filling those sidewalks.

Street vendors loudly advertising the names of dubious magical tools.

Wandering bards playing popular songs on lutes, begging for coins.

Young students playing in the central fountain, splashing water.

It was as if a painting of “peace” had come to life—a truly magnificent view.

It was a masterpiece created by his friends.

-“What are you doing, Sion!! Hurry up!!”

“Hold on, I’m coming.”

This girl, always so impatient.

Sion chuckled softly and resumed her pace, a leisurely stride contrasting with Exia’s excitement.

-“Heehee~ Shaved ice~ Shaved ice~ I finally get to eat shaved ice~♬”

“Is it really that good?”

-“Of course!”

Exia drooled at the mere thought of it, looking like she was in a state of bliss.

Shaved ice was her favorite food. Even when Lier was alive and she tasted various foods, nothing compared to the shaved ice she ate during their travels. 

Especially now, after a forced fast for 500 years, it was even more unbearable.

-“It was truly awful… Being stuck in that boring temple corner with nothing to do, staring at the same scenery for 500 years without moving.

Imagine if you were in that situation, Sion. You’d lose your mind and go crazy in no time!”

“Well, I suppose if I imagine it, it does sound terrible… But did you never ask Mana to move you? She could carry you, couldn’t she?”

-“She did, occasionally. But I couldn’t keep being a burden to her. 

Besides, I had already become the temple’s mascot, so I couldn’t leave my spot easily.”

If Exia were absent, the entrance fee revenue for the Central Temple would be cut in half.

Many visitors came specifically to see the legendary holy sword’s grandeur. 

Considering that, even Exia couldn’t afford to be selfish.

-“But now, it’s different~ I’ve got hands and feet, so I can go wherever I want~ 

Exia is a free holy sword now! Hihihihi.”

“Don’t run around. What will you do if you get lost?”

Sion quietly admonished from behind as Exia bounced around in excitement.

Losing Exia in this crowd would make finding her a chore. Her unique holy constitution also made search magic ineffective.

She hoped Exia understood that and behaved accordingly…

As Sion was following behind Exia, thinking these thoughts:

“Oh, Big Sister Sion?”

A familiar voice came from the crowd.

It was Princess Isabella. Oddly enough, she was carrying a large backpack, just like her attendant.

The unexpected encounter made Sion tilt her head in curiosity.

“Princess? What brings you to this busy marketplace?”

“Oh, I just wanted to buy something~”

“Something to buy?”

“Yes.”

With that, Isabella opened her backpack. 

Inside, there were…

“Aren’t these healing potions? The color is unmistakable.”

“That’s right. I’ve been to every store, sweeping up as many as I could find. I must have bought around sixty of them.”

“What? Why would you do that…?”

Someone like Isabella wouldn’t need potions. She could simply call a priest. Better yet, she could summon Sion. 

So why go out of her way to hoard potions? What for?

Seeing Sion’s puzzled look, Isabella smiled faintly—a smile that somehow seemed to carry a deep, ominous undertone.

“Big Sister, do you like horse meat?”

“Um? Suddenly? Why do you ask?”

“Just curious. Do you like it or not? Which is it?”

“Well, I don’t particularly have any dietary restrictions… but who doesn’t like meat, right?”

“Is that so?”

Isabella’s grin widened.

“I’ll make sure to bring plenty of horse meat next time. Let’s grill it together in the garden♬”

“?????”

Didn’t she just ask why she bought all those potions? Why was Isabella suddenly talking about horse meat?

Sion’s curiosity deepened, but after seeing Isabella’s expression, she decided to drop the matter. 

The grin she was wearing was filled with an unmistakable sense of menace.

There are some things in this world that are better left unknown. Sion decided that this was one of those things and chose not to ask any further questions.

“By the way, what brings Big Sister Sion here? I can’t imagine you’re out just for fun because it’s the weekend.”

“Oh? Why wouldn’t I be? I’m a young girl in my prime too, you know.”

“Haha, you’re joking, right?”

Isabella knew Sion better than anyone.

She was a woman who lived a life far more ascetic than that of a nun who had been in the convent for fifty years.

That was precisely why Isabella respected Sion so much.

But to Isabella’s surprise, Sion shook her head.

“No, I’m really out for fun. Iris kept pestering me to get some shaved ice.”

“Iris…?”

Now that she thought about it, there was such a person, wasn’t there?

Wasn’t she supposed to be Big Sister Sion’s attendant? Isabella hadn’t seen her around lately and had almost forgotten.

Isabella looked around to find the blonde maid girl she remembered.

And then—

“She’s not here?”

“?!?”

At those words, Sion, too, looked around in surprise.

It was true. There was no sign of her.

Exia, who had been merrily walking ahead just a moment ago, was nowhere to be seen.

‘That brat… She went off somewhere again without a word!!!’

Sion screamed internally.

That troublesome kid never did anything useful in her life.