episode_0037

What a sight.

I was doing my best to act okay, but I was on the verge of passing out from suffocation. My body, now able to breathe in the oxygen I had so desperately wanted, was expressing the urgency of the situation all over. Who would think of me as the terrifying villain of the original work? They’d probably see me as a pitiful supporting character.

As I struggled to focus, the blade pointed at me.

“Just wait a moment. Seeing you like this, there’s no way you can escape anyway.”

“…”

“If I strike once, I’ll repay with two blows.”

I felt fortunate to be wearing a helmet. I didn’t want to show my foolish face, stained with tears, in such a mess.

Clang-

The blade passed by me, unable to properly contain my body. Even though a single swing of the holy sword could have ended it, it ignored me and moved on.

No, it stood before me. It blocked the path between Eligos and me. The back of the blade looked very wide. Blocked by the blade, the repulsive demon disappeared from view. So, it was just…

…

I felt incredibly relieved. It was as if the tension that had gripped my entire body was slowly releasing.

“…The holy sword?”

Eligos tried to look at me, hidden behind the blade, but soon gave up and spoke to the sword.

“You recognize each other.”

“Be careful with your words, human. Compared to the owner of this sword a thousand years ago, you are nothing.”

“Who would believe that you’ve been living quietly for a thousand years if they heard that?”

Argos seemed very uncomfortable with the sword’s behavior.

Recalling the way the sword had screeched earlier, I began to doubt whether it was the same person. Cynical and unreserved behavior, mocking anyone without hesitation. Just like the protagonist of the original work.

At first glance, the sword in the novel seemed brash, but it had a rather affectionate and innocent side to those around it. Especially towards the heroines. So did the heroines in the novel die so tragically because of such a warm-hearted person…?

It seems like it’s just because of his face, no matter how much I think about it. Envious bastard.

Sigh, again… unnecessary thoughts are getting longer. That must mean a lot of tension has been relieved.

“…Go on your way, brat.”

“Only my boss can call me that, you perverted son of a b****.”

Karl pointed at Eligos. Eligos wasn’t wearing a shirt, so his muscular upper body and the magic patterns tattooed on his gray skin were fully exposed. I’ve been feeling uneasy since earlier. It’s unclear whether he hadn’t had time to get dressed after being resurrected, or if he was just someone who always went around like that.

“The one who wields the Holy Sword won’t help the one who wields magic, nor will they be comrades. If we pretend not to see each other and pass by, it won’t be good for either of us.”

Eligos tried to avoid the fight. His words were as cunning as a snake’s tongue. He was extremely sly.

“Hand over what you’re hiding behind you. I’ll take it. If you hand it over, the humans of this academy won’t lay a finger on you and will back off. Promise.”

“…”

After glancing at Karl in his academy uniform, he murmured seductive words. It was like the king of incubi, stirring people’s hearts. He recognized the unchanging academy uniform from a thousand years.

I shivered slightly.

Fear began to creep in again. Listening to Eligos’s unpleasant voice, I felt as if the snake-like gaze was piercing through Karl’s body.

A sense of humiliation, as if stripped bare, rose within me.

I gazed at Karl’s back, as if pleading. Please…

“This empty head is mine. In the demon world, we’re taught not to covet others’ belongings.”

“…Empty head?”

“There is such a thing, but you don’t need to know.”

Karl, still facing away, shouted at the incubus in front of him.

“It’s my prey, my adversary to deal with. Besides, it’s not yet time to settle the score.”

“Foolish human….”

“It was decided that way… But now, I’m doing this because I don’t want to leave it up to you.”

“If you want to see blood.”

Eligos spread his wings wide and gathered mana. The sword, which had been hanging on his shoulder, was lowered so that the tip of the blade faced the ground.

“It’s the ultimate female found in a thousand years. Don’t interfere.”

At the sudden call, my heart thumped.

“….”

“…Female? Well, does it matter?”

Karl turned slightly to look at me, then muttered softly. Although my body was entirely covered in armor, helmet, and cape, I couldn’t help but avoid his eyes due to the uneasiness of being exposed.

He turned his head again to face forward. It was a situation where things could escalate at any moment, yet he extended the giant holy sword towards the demon in front of him with a relaxed posture devoid of tension. It was a gesture close to a conviction that he would not be defeated.

“Too bad, want to wait another thousand years?”

“You insignificant human! Make me writhe in agony!!”

A crimson magic circle formed around Eligos. He lost his composure as if scratched by the words “a thousand years.” The magic circle was much larger than when I first saw it, soon emitting a deep, resonating sound and multiplying into several circles.

It had been a short time, but it had allowed me to regain some of my strength.

Seeing it materialize into Eligos’ power, riding on top of me, pushing me into despair, the gradually intensifying negative energy. I felt angry and upset. I despised how powerless I had been, how ready I had been to resign myself.

“I believe.”

Karl muttered a brief soliloquy. No, it was a spell. A trigger for unleashing the power of the holy sword. In the novel, it was a “word” that could only be handled later.

The holy sword emitted light. Light also radiated from Karl’s body. It was incomparable to when we fought in the Magic Potion Guild. Both the visible light and the actual sensed power were remarkably powerful.

“!”

Eligos seemed to have noticed it, and a look of confusion crossed his face. But it was too late. It couldn’t be stopped. He shouted loudly, spreading his arms and exerting all his strength. Rather than appearing terrifying, he looked desperate. It seemed as though he was resisting an irresistible force.

The sword’s blade passed over the palm of the Holy Sword, as if infusing power. The light of the Holy Sword became even more intense. He swung the sword as it was. The bright blade shot out. The bright blade overwhelmed all the negative energy Eligos had been producing.

It eradicated the unpleasant and gloomy red aura.

Eligos’s magic circle was engulfed in light and destroyed. The light poured onto Eligos. He was engulfed by the light without even being able to scream.

Kwaaaah-!!!

The sound of the exploding light was loud for a moment, then quieted down. All that could be heard was the sound of the cool night breeze.

The wind caused the golden hair of the sword to flutter. He slowly turned his body. His straight forehead was revealed due to his fluttering hair. It was a balanced forehead, neither narrow nor wide. Under the arched eyebrows, eyes the color of his hair were visible. He seemed to be smiling mockingly.

The slightly upturned corners of his mouth seemed to say that this was not enough.

The blade of the Holy Sword, facing the ground, showed a lack of intention to fight. It was fortunate. If I were to fight him now, I would definitely… never win. Even with my body in top condition, it seemed likely that I would lose to the unleashed power of the sword.

Despite the difference in our heights, which was heightened by the curved armor, my position forced me to look up at him, as if indicating our hierarchy. I will lose. I can only lose to him.

A feeling of defeat, a feeling of having already lost.

But strangely, it didn’t feel bad. It didn’t feel unpleasant at all. It was strange.

All of my ways of thinking, the values I’ve accumulated, and my personality became uncontrollable when that guy was added. Things I used to think were obvious and calculations changed when I thought of the sword. It was really, really strange.

“Th-”

The sword hesitated, as if trying to say something. I quickly rolled the remaining mana. I prepared for spatial movement. To escape from here.

“…”

The sword seemed to notice the mana sent out for spatial movement and paused. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say, but he hesitated. I didn’t have the luxury to listen to him. Whatever he said, I didn’t think I could have a normal conversation in my current state.

I just… right now, in this state, I didn’t want to talk. I couldn’t guarantee what would happen if we exchanged words in this weak state. It was scary and embarrassing. So, can’t you just let me go…?

I shouted inwardly, pleading. Please, please…!

If he set his mind to it, it would be a piece of cake for him to interfere with my spatial movement. It all depended on his choice.

I looked into his golden eyes beyond the helmet. He would still only be able to see my glare. He wouldn’t be able to see any emotions or feelings in my pupils. Still, I hope he understands.

Grrr-

Fortunately, there was no obstruction in the mana path for spatial movement.

The sword decided to let me go. His action of leaving my casting alone proved it more than a hundred words. He made an indescribable subtle expression. I didn’t miss the opportunity.

I successfully teleported with a swoosh. The sight of the sword that filled my vision disappeared. I escaped from the night street where the wind blew. My surroundings were filled with the intended destination.

“Haa, haaa… haa.”

As the tension eased, the urge to take endless deep breaths arose. I released the suffocating helmet, breathed in and out with my bare face. I leaned against the wall and sat down. It was more like a sigh than a deep breath.

“Ha, hahaha….”

A bitter laugh escaped.

Sweaty hair was disheveled in all directions.

Like the hair, it had been a chaotic day.

*

The sword stood silently on the quiet street.

It only glanced at the spot where Unknown had disappeared. The holy sword he had been holding had vanished. It had been sent flying to another dimension. Until he called for it, it would remain dormant.

“You just died… Remember that.”

He muttered quietly. Even if there had been others around, it was such a small voice that they wouldn’t have heard it. Perhaps the words he had just uttered didn’t sit well with him, as he kicked the ground with his toe.

In truth, it was something he wanted to say before Unknown disappeared. But now, since there was no one to listen, it became an aimless statement into the void.

He should have said it as soon as he turned to face Unknown, but seeing the deep turquoise glow fade made him hesitate.

The eerie turquoise glow diminished, and within the helmet, a slender blue iris was faintly visible. In that split second, he thought that his memory might be mistaken.

Unknown couldn’t possibly have such pretty eyes. Besides, he wasn’t even sure if they were blue.

That wasn’t really important. What mattered was the fact that he hadn’t been able to spit out the satisfying words in front of Unknown.

The sword felt a tinge of frustration.

“Well, nothing I can do about it. Next time we meet, I’ll give you a piece of my mind.”

Anyway, the fact remained that Unknown owed his life to the sword. The sword seemed to have already forgotten what had happened at the Magic Potion Guild.

Clack clack-

He looked back to where the footsteps came from. It had been quite noisy, so it was natural for someone to come running late. However, he stood dumbfounded because the person who arrived was completely unexpected.

“Karl Mayner.”

“….”

“The Mayner Duke is known for being unrelated to the world of force…”

A man dressed in a uniform as sharp as a sword walked slowly. It was the Imperial Academy’s uniform, and the only difference was the navy blue belt with the Academy emblem on his arm.

Student council president.

Karl knew him.

“David de Leon.”

“Moreover, aren’t you also from the royal family’s lineage, not part of the Imperial Studies Department…?”

“….”

David adjusted his glasses and stood in front of Karl. The freshman’s casual behavior of addressing him by name without using honorifics didn’t bother him at all. His attention was solely focused on one thing.

“Who are you? The wielder of the Holy Sword’s power.”

Once again, a story that wasn’t in the original unfolds.