EP.36 10-4. Even Running Away Embarrassed Won’t Solve Anything
***
How much time had passed since I started swinging my sword? Twilight had fallen, and the night began to descend.
“I think the main drawback of Drake-style swordsmanship is the strain it puts on your body,” Kainel remarked.
“Isn’t it the speed?” I asked.
“Just a feeling, but wouldn’t slashing air be the least taxing part? What do you think, Licht?”
With no monsters to hunt, Kainel and I were analyzing each other’s swordsmanship weaknesses.
“You’re right. Since it relies purely on physical strength instead of mana…”
“Is it really okay to use that technique repeatedly?”
“It’s fine because it’s me, not you.”
“…You’re so irritating, Licht.”
The truth was, it wasn’t fine. I was bluffing. Against the Demon KIngs, it would undoubtedly fall short. Those beings usually had at least a second phase, if not more.
“I think the biggest issue is its slow speed. It requires too much preparation.”
Even if I used Wolf Fang to try and overcome the limits of speed, it wasn’t ideal for short battles.
Right now, the only ways I could protect our Saintess from the Hero Cult were by staking my life on it or doing something utterly insane.
Or both.
‘At least she’s safe in the Imperial Palace. My selfish desires cannot be allowed to put her safety at risk.’
I habitually rested my hand on the chin of my helmet.
Should I inform them about the Demon Kings? No… they’d almost certainly question my sources and drag me off to an interrogation room.
Just then, a red-haired magician walked by.
“Kai, I got some tents from the professors! Here’s one for you, too, Mister Helmet!” Ariel said as she handed over a bundle.
“Oh, thank you, Miss Ariel.”
“You seem a bit livelier now! That’s a relief!”
Seeing her reminded me of when I first met the Hero couple. Back then, I had pretended to be the Crown Prince.
“Licht, what’s wrong?” Kainel asked.
I looked at the Glass Knight, glinting under the moonlight. I hadn’t expected the story flags to unfold like this. It felt like I’d been hoisted by my own petard.
‘Wait a minute.’
In Black Heart, Ariel was never supposed to meet the Crown Prince. Did my interference cause this change?
“Mr. Mardol, is this your first time meeting Miss Ariel at the academy?” I asked.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
So, was this some leftover bug from the beta tests, a flaw players were meant to fix in the sequel? It felt like trying to bolt the barn door after the horse had escaped.
The developer was a real piece of work. I should’ve known when they made the Saintess suffer. Another wave of dizziness hit me.
“Licht, are you okay? What’s wrong now?”
“It’s nothing.”
I sighed. Staring at the ground, Kainel looked at me with concern.
“Anyway, Kainel, you should make better use of your Holy Sword. Things like flying with it or causing explosions.”
“It can do that…?”
When I suggested it, the golden-haired Hero’s eyes widened in shock. Well, it wasn’t surprising. He had trained alone without a proper mentor.
“Would you like to spar with me? I could show you.”
He lacked real battle experience. For someone called a Hero, he was still quite green.
“No, not today. You need rest, Licht.”
Unexpectedly, Kainel shook his head.
“…Excuse me?”
“You look exhausted. Your hands have been trembling since earlier.”
It was something Nex had mentioned as well. My body seemed to react instinctively whenever the Saintess was involved.
“I’m fine. Probably.”
Even as I lied, the pangs of guilt hit me dozens of times. But I couldn’t afford to show weakness. A Demon King could attack at any moment.
I couldn’t let my emotions take precedence.
“Ugh… fine. Just come with me, Licht.”
As soon as I answered, the Hero frowned deeply and led me down a forest trail.
The sound of crunching leaves and the nocturnal cries of insects filled the air.
Was he angry because of me? I couldn’t think of anything that might have upset him.
“…What is this about?” I finally asked.
“This spot looks good. We can still see our campfire from here, so we won’t get lost.”
Kainel stopped near a tree stump, using it as a seat. Then he said,
“Let’s talk, Licht.”
It was a line I had heard before. Was this where Ariel’s affection points were supposed to rise?
“Do you need dating advice?” I asked flatly.
“No, the opposite, Licht.”
Crossing one leg over the other, Kainel continued.
“This morning—your bad state—it was because of that white-haired woman, wasn’t it?”
The accuracy of his guess caught me off guard. I had to pretend I didn’t know what he was talking about. There was no way the clueless neighborhood Hero could piece this together.
“What nonsense are you talking about? I just wasn’t feeling well.”
Sweat poured under my helmet as I fabricated an excuse.
“I may not be sharp, but I have good instincts,” Kainel said, narrowing his blue eyes.
“Do you think I wouldn’t find it strange when you disappeared for two days?”
“…I figured you might.”
“It wasn’t just a few hours—it was two days. If it had been one, I might’ve let it go. But two?”
This wasn’t like him. Had spending time with me sharpened his instincts? He was poking at every inconsistency.
“I had personal matters to attend to.”
“And those personal matters made you skip class and sneak into the dorm after curfew? What were you even doing?”
Ah, yes, being transported by the Violet Phoenix. To anyone else, my actions would seem bizarre. Kainel gave me an incredulous look.
“Was it about that beautiful white-haired woman again?”
He brought up the two days I had vanished.
“Tell me. What happened?”
“…”
Feigning ignorance was no longer an option.
“…Everything you’ve guessed is correct,” I admitted.
“Knew it. You’re so bad at lying, Licht.”
Given our friendship, I could see why he was upset. My secrecy must have felt like betrayal.
“She’s in danger right now,” I said.
“…What? So that’s why you skipped class and everything else?”
“Yes, Kainel. That’s exactly why.”
There was no point in hiding it anymore. I began to explain.
“Who is she?”
“…The ‘Nameless Saintess.’ She is about to be chosen as the third great Saintess.”
“Really? Well, you’ve never been wrong before.”
The distance ensured no one overheard us. Ariel and the Crown Prince weren’t close by, either.
Kainel nodded thoughtfully, recalling the secrets of the Holy Sword.
“She saved my life,” I said.
“From the sound of it, this was a long time ago. How long?”
“Fifteen years.”
Ten years of being indebted to her in reality, and five more since reincarnation. Fifteen years of wielding my sword with purpose.
“Wait… you’ve known her since you were a kid? That’s a long time.”
“Not exactly. The Saintess doesn’t even know me.”
This was a fifteen-year-old story of unrequited love. Kainel’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
“Then why—?”
“I’m repaying a debt she doesn’t know exists.”
I had made that decision myself. Maybe it was time to let go. If fate had intended for us to meet, it would have happened already.
“She’s had a streak of misfortune. I felt obligated to protect her…”
“And this morning’s incident? Was that because of her? What’s threatening her?”
Kainel’s face grew serious. He really was a good person.
“Kainel, don’t you already have a guess?”
“…Don’t tell me.”
“Yes, that ‘don’t tell me.’ It’s the Hero Cult.”