Trial for Newbies (4)
'Looks like it's about wrapped up.'
Sisilia pushed herself up from the wall she'd been leaning against. She'd successfully intervened in Edward's trial.
In truth, this hadn't been an intervention from the start. Sisilia wasn't a mage. Even she couldn't interfere in the domain of a mage who'd lived for 300 years. Normally, intervention would have been impossible.
'Got lucky.'
The reason Sisilia could intervene was thanks to Edward. Because his precious person was Sisilia, the trial's barrier relied on her memories. It was to summon the image of her younger self.
There was no reason to depend on someone else's memories when the person herself was present. Sisilia had manipulated her own memories to interfere in Edward's trial.
Lying, and believing that lie would become reality—that was something Sisilia excelled at. After all, the principle behind handling Aura was similar.
However...
'That little brat, so stubborn. Whose childhood was that? I was way cuter than that.'
Sisilia's delicate brow furrowed. No, she'd definitely intervened. But midway through, control kept slipping away. The ego was too strong. The child Sisilia had overpowered the adult Sisilia.
A mere fake, no less! Because of that, things had gone slightly off course. The pint-sized Sisilia, who should have led to the 'correct' answer, had respected Edward's choice on her own.
"...That's one possible outcome, I suppose."
Sisilia closed her eyes.
-Someday, I'll dye you gray too.
Even if control had been snatched away, she'd heard Edward's choice. Her biggest worry had been if he was a traitor to humanity, but thankfully, that wasn't the case.
Sisilia didn't hate Edward. If a situation arose where she had to kill him, even she would have been sad enough to swear off desserts for a while.
So.
'I look forward to it, Vice-Captain. I don't think the aesthetics of a gray world are so bad.'
[It begins.]
Sisilia stared straight ahead with an expressionless face. Since Edward getting full marks meant failure, her only remaining option was—
to get zero herself.
[Regrets and lingering attachments.]
She was more desperate and resolute than ever. A life run for newbies. This body dedicated solely to newbies. Her sword was—
sharper than ever.
With a flash!
The surroundings warped, shifting form. They entered the realm of Sisilia's mind.
No matter what trial came, Sisilia was confident. She'd mess it up spectacularly!
-The price went up?
-This year's overall poor harvest... Ahaha. Sorry, little knight.
Sisilia's demon-king-slaying resolve shattered to pieces.
"......"
The scene the trial showed was a street parfait stand. Child Sisilia stared at the cart's Reina with a face like the world had ended.
"Th-this."
Sisilia recoiled in great panic. The nightmare from back then, still vivid, resurfaced.
"...The day I got scammed out of my life savings and got chewed out big time. That poop-head hairstyle confirms it."
It was that exact day. The day she'd brilliantly completed a mission and gotten her first incentive, Sisilia had been excitedly off to buy clothes.
Then she met a kind-looking merchant.
-Noble miss, I'm the top merchant in Terezia. Invest with me, and I'll double it in a week.
Back then, before becoming a high knight, Sisilia's pay was meager. Monthly salary: 20 gold. Pocket money: a measly 5 gold. But Windsor Knights incentives were generous. Her first one: a whopping 150 gold. Plus, from her frugal lifelong savings in her empty household: 1 gold.
Sisilia invested a total of 151 gold with the merchant!* *About 15.1 million won.
'Back then, I thought I was the stock market god.'
She never doubted it'd return 302 gold. That 7-year-old girl's romantic dreams...
were thoroughly crushed.
Snowy days, rainy days—she waited for the merchant, but he never showed at the promised spot.
When Chiron, puzzled by her always crouching in the square, asked, Sisilia confessed honestly—
and Chiron taught the 7-year-old the harsh reality: you'd been scammed.
The shock from that...
Sisilia teared up thinking back. But she didn't regret it.
"There was solid potential."
Scammed or not—50/50 odds. Sisilia had just bet on the 50% chance and lost that time. Sure, she'd never won that coin flip once since, but someday she'd win for sure.
'So why show this scene? I don't regret it.'
And it wasn't even the scam moment. Back then, after losing everything and moping, she'd found 1 shilling in her uniform pocket by chance and come for parfait.
-What's wrong? Short on cash?
Reina asked curiously, and Sisilia shyly pulled out the 1 shilling.
-Huh? Even with the price hike, parfait's only 6 pennies. 1 shilling's plenty?
Child Sisilia shook her head glumly.
-I want both chocolate and strawberry.
-Ahaha, that's tricky. But no money today, so maybe just one...?
Reina smiled awkwardly.
-Our little knight can't even finish one parfait anyway.
'Ah. I remember now.'
Sisilia realized why the trial showed this scene. The scam shock had made her forget what followed.
'...This incident's definitely my life's biggest regret.'
-Huh? Short on money?
Then, a very handsome noble gentleman passing by stopped, flashing a kind smile. Sisilia nodded, hoping he'd treat.
The noble tipped his bowler hat.
-How about a deal with me, then?
-A deal...?
-Yeah. That.
The noble pointed gracefully near Sisilia's thigh—specifically, her white knee socks.
-Take off your knee socks and give 'em to uncle; I'll give you 1 gold.
-!!
Reina couldn't hide her shock at the noble molesting a 7-year-old girl in broad daylight. But Sisilia nodded seriously.
-Not a bad trade. I've only worn 'em once.
She started to take them off right there. Reina freaked and stopped her; the shady noble got beaten by passersby and handed to the guards.
Rumor had it Chiron interrogated him later.
[Right your regrets.]
Lydia's voice rang out. The hint of amusement—was that her imagination?
Sisilia looked around. Reina sighing in relief, and her view oddly lowered.
"Our little knight has a real talent for scaring people."
Sisilia stared holes into the 1 shilling clutched in her tiny hand. Back then, she'd ordered 'chocolate parfait.' Because she'd had strawberry the day before.
And Sisilia regretted that choice forever.
'Today's strawberry parfait and tomorrow's are different.'
Mood that day, hunger level, strawberry quality. Many factors decide parfait taste. Holding back what you crave today means it won't taste as expected later.
She states clearly: at that moment, Sisilia wanted both strawberry and chocolate parfait.
So—
"Strawberry parfait, please."
'Good thing I remember the chocolate one's taste from that day.'
"...You said it so solemnly. Got it. One sec."
Reina handed over a parfait piled high with strawberries, her skills impeccable. Sisilia took it with a beaming face, sat at her favorite spot by the fountain, swung her legs, and dug in.
'Delicious! This is it!'
The parfait was divine. As expected from Reina, who'd gone from street cart to a big royal honey spot.
"Now this is the perfect choice."
Sisilia chuckled softly. And the moment she ate a strawberry—
she froze.
'This is a trial I have to fail.'
"—!"
Forgetting the most crucial fact, Sisilia dropped the parfait.
**
"...This."
"What the......"
The nobles watching the crystal orb were speechless. Faces like they'd lost a screw.
"What even is this trial...?"
They'd watched Edward's trial in total immersion, not uttering a word. Sisilia's was the same, but the vibe differed.
It was too absurd to comment on.
"Wh-what is this!"
"Can't evaluate this!"
"My daughter's dreams aren't this silly!"
The nobles formally protested. But some took the childlike dream seriously: scholars and mages. The so-called experts.
"Can't you see? An embarrassment no intelligent being with eyes and a brain like mine could imagine."
"Watch your words!"
"It proves Sisilia Windsor has not a speck of regret in her psyche."
"!"
Nobles gasped; mages nodded.
"Her life's sole regret is pondering which parfait to eat. Meaning."
"...No flaws in Sisilia Windsor whatsoever."
Now all eyes turned to the queen. Lydia stood stern-faced until the stares focused, then smiled brightly.
"Exactly. Sisilia's life has no blemishes. Thus, no regrets. She's the only human who can choose the right path from the start."
The queen's words carried weight. Not just her aura, but the meaning. Those present were mostly enlightened in life's truths. Thus, they understood.
"Now I see why Her Majesty set the trial like this."
"We walk uncertain paths. We need a sturdy compass."
"She can be our guide?"
"A human without regrets exists."
"You're right. As humanity's proxy, I trust Sisilia Windsor on that basis."
Lydia smiled chillingly.
"Heroes must be noble. Heroes must surpass imagination. Heroes—must prove worthy of countless expectations. Heroes."
Lydia paused, whispering low.
"Must never be wrong even once. Thus, they must be inhuman."
"......"
"The trial ends. Your choices are free. Vote."
The noisy hall fell silent. Only voting time remained. Fierce debates faded; only pen scratches naming someone echoed.
Queen Lydia leaned on her throne, lost in thought.
'I've never been wrong once, she says. Just like you, Sisilia. If I'd entered that trial, it'd probably show something like 'what to eat for lunch that day.'
In truth, this was Queen Lydia's scheme. She knew Sisilia didn't want to be humanity's proxy. She fully expected Sisilia to desperately fail the trial.
Thus, instead of relying on choices, Lydia made the trial test 'the path walked so far'—what the trial revealed itself.
Edward had clear regrets.
Sisilia had none worth noting.
In short, Sisilia lost the moment she accepted the trial. Even Sisilia couldn't easily spot a 300-year queen's ploy.
But—
Lydia pondered deeply.
'I thought Edward was already gray. No turning back. You can't draw on a pure white canvas once it's stained black.'
The queen saw one possibility in this trial.
'You're painting vivid white on that gray canvas. Such a tomboy.'
Couldn't Sisilia restore Edward's lost light?
Voting ended. Erterion carefully collected ballots. The fair vote followed majority rule.
Results came quickly.
'But Sisilia.'
The queen slowly raised her head. Her face emotionless.
'I'm a queen who chooses the higher probability.'
"I appoint Sisilia Windsor as humanity's proxy."