episode_0030

Why is the fate of humanity so sought after? If there is a god in this world, why did they make the world so cruel?

The man took off the robe he was wearing inside out, placed it aside, and faced the girl.

“Isn’t that right? Don’t you also think this world is terribly unfair?”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, you still haven’t accepted reality. It’s quite lovely to see you immersed in hope like that.”

The girl, with her small arms bound by iron chains and her body covered in bruises, chewed on something she had kept between her teeth.

Crack.

***

“Lady Sophia, where are you going?”

“You’re up early. I have somewhere to go for a moment…”

Sophia, usually brighter than anyone else, was nowhere to be seen, leaving with a stern expression, carrying her belongings. It was early in the morning, especially since it was the weekend with no classes, which made it even more concerning.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. Just checking and coming back. Nothing will happen. Of course, that’s how it should be.”

With those words, Sophia left after a greeting. Still feeling uneasy, there was nothing immediate I could do, so I headed towards the classroom with a heavy heart.

“The dawn correction has a certain charm.”

“Is that so?”

“Surprise! When did you arrive?”

As I sat by the classroom window looking around the academy, Erin’s voice came from beside me.

“I usually come around this time. I’m not one for sleep. I wanted to do some more training.”

“I see. But today is the weekend, so there are no classes…?”

“I did feel like there were too few people around.”

“There’s always at least one person like that…”

Unaware that it was the weekend, it seemed like they came to attend class. Since there was still some time left before Professor Rose’s designated class time, we decided to train together.

“After that, have you met Professor Manya?”

“Manya…?”

“The health teacher.”

“Oh. No, not yet.”

Even though Erin said she wasn’t concerned anymore, she hadn’t forgotten Manya’s name, showing that Erin still had thick nerves.

“Alright, let’s get ready, shall we?”

“Yeah, it’s our first sparring session together.”

Erin immediately raised two swords and swiftly approached. Knowing that if I allowed further approach, I would surely be defeated in an instant, I jumped back to create distance.

“It seems faster than before?”

“When holding two swords, I feel more energy in my body.”

It seemed like there was some function embedded in the legacy of the Mercenary King. As if signaling the end of the conversation, Erin rushed forward again at a terrifying speed. Barely dodging the attack, I retaliated, but she was already out of range.

Ping-

Thud!!!

“If that had hit, you would have been seriously injured, right?”

“I dodged it.”

The sword Erin threw as a restraint grazed me and stuck into the training room wall. The feeling of power that didn’t match my body made my skin tremble. If I only countered, I would be at a disadvantage, so I had to attack first.

The opponent had already retrieved the sword stuck in the wall. Infused with mana all over their body, Erin’s charge felt like the force of a 10-ton dump truck.

They held the sword upright, filled their lungs with fresh air, gathering everything present in their body, whether it be chi from martial arts or mana from fantasy. They scraped up every last bit of residual mana around their body.

I surrounded my gathered strength in the sword. It wasn’t to increase the cutting power or force of the sword. It was to listen to the story the sword tells. To use mana as a means of communication.

When immersed in the sword’s story, gradually, things that were unseen began to be seen bit by bit. I could do many things. But I could also identify Erin’s weaknesses that are needed right now.

I stepped forward with my left foot. Each step became the trigger of a cannon pushing me out. It was not just running, but steps that devoured the distance.

Now, if I draw the sword…

“You’ve got guts. Skipping class too.”

“Oops. Already time!”

“Today’s lesson is twofold. Hurry up and follow along.”

“Yes, Erin. Let’s do it again next time. Definitely.”

After greeting Erin with a bewildered expression, I followed the professor. Even then, I tried not to forget the sensation remaining in my legs and waist. Just now, it felt like I might reach a certain level, as if I had achieved enlightenment as in martial arts.

“Hmm. Did you feel something just now?”

“Yes, I felt like I could definitely make it mine with a little more effort.”

“Heh, don’t worry. Keep exploring until you find that feeling.”

“Yes…”

***

“Phew, you’re all beaten up again today. In the end, I didn’t even feel anything similar.”

As usual, after the class with Professor Rose, I went to the infirmary, where there was already a senior waiting at the door.

“Miss…?”

“Oh, um, hello…”

Sophia, the saint, seemed to have been crying, her eyes were red around them. However, her cheeks were strangely redder and slightly swollen.

“Who did this to you?”

“This… it’s nothing. Yeah, it was the cat…!”

“Just come in for a moment.”

After getting permission from Professor Manya, I sat her down on the bed. The saint continued to avoid eye contact, trying not to meet anyone’s gaze.

“If you can’t tell me who did it, at least tell me what happened. You left in the morning looking like something was wrong, and now you’re back like this, of course we’re worried. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Friends, yes… If something’s wrong, we help each other. Because we’re friends…”

“Yes. So please, tell me.”

“I mean, actually, I wasn’t a believer from the beginning. Just a troublemaker from an ordinary family. A leader in the neighborhood. That kind of kid. Maybe because I liked taking charge, I had a lot of friends.”

“I see.”

“Yes, among them, there was a girl I was particularly close to. She kept crying and clinging to me even when I was chosen as a saint. I asked my uncle, who makes magic tools, to get me a signal collector to comfort her.”

“Was it a farewell gift?”

“It felt like that. I said that when she’s really desperate, if she presses it, I’ll appear from the sky. Something like that.”

“But a signal collector doesn’t have that function…”

“So, I modified it. When pressed, it sends a signal to me. That’s what happened early this morning. It suddenly rang.”

With a melancholic expression, Sophia, one by one, whispered as if she might cry at any moment.

“So, I ran straight to the Papal Palace. They need to send reinforcements. But the word coming back was that they can’t waste manpower on baseless claims. That’s what they said. I don’t even know what she’s doing at this hour!”

“Cheeks, are they hurt?”

“It seems she doesn’t like the symbol of the Holy Kingdom standing out so much…”

As if worrying about her friend, Sophia lay on the bed, fiddling with the signal collector. She seemed very concerned.

“Can’t it be traced back with that? Where the signal came from, etc…”

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t that expensive…”

“No, if signal magic is recorded, it should be possible to trace it by dismantling and verifying. As long as there’s a skilled mage in signal magic…”

“Signal magic? I know a little bit about it…”

As we both turned to look at Professor Manya, who had been quietly listening next to us, she flinched, looking surprised.

“Do it right now!”

“Oh, yeah. It’ll take a bit, so please wait.”

Manya took out various things, dismantled the device, and started calculating coordinates with paper and pen. The saint, watching from the side with an earnest expression, clenched her fist tightly up to her knuckles.

“Saint, don’t worry. Once we confirm the location, we’ll go right away. I’ll accompany you.”

Saying that, she slowly unfolded the fists that were clenched so tightly that blood couldn’t flow properly. The saint sat back down beside her with a mysterious expression.

“Friend… right?”

“Yes, Saint, you are my proud friend. Friends help each other when things get tough.”

“That’s true… It’s pathetic, isn’t it? Even though a saint should maintain dignity no matter what happens, I just can’t do that. If something happens like now, I get flustered and confused…”

Closer to God than anyone else, the saint. Paradoxically, she was more human than anyone else. But the more human she was, the more attractive she became to Sophia.

“If you’re human, anyone would feel that way.”

“That’s right. But a saint shouldn’t be like that.”

“You don’t have to be a saint every day. At least, you can live as an ordinary Sophia in the dormitory or in front of a friend like me.”

“But, that’s…”

“I’m done with the calculations.”

At that moment, Manya said she had finished the calculations, and on the paper she wrote down, there were numerous numbers and characters listed.

x – 10dr1p-34 y-213 z- 341jfr432

“Where is this…?”

“To me, it’s a very familiar place. A place where no one lives anymore.”

Saying that, Manya continued with a frowning expression.

“Triphia.”