The Sea
"Is she the 'business' you had to attend to...?"
"Well, you see..."
"I told you, I'm hungry. Let's go."
Before I could even find the words to explain things to a dumbfounded Yuri, Eisel kept pushing me from behind.
I don't know what's going on... but should I consider this a win?
Yuri and I weren't in a relationship; we were just friends who had recently gotten close—nothing more, nothing less. Surely she would understand this much? Besides, I didn't have a proper excuse to give her anyway.
"Um... I'll see you later, Miss Yuri."
Yielding to Eisel's persistent shoving, I waved goodbye to Yuri. By the time we had nearly cleared the girls' dormitory, I stole a glance back, but Yuri was already gone.
"Why did you do that?"
"...Do what?"
Eisel played dumb, acting as if nothing had happened. The moment we stepped out of the girls' dormitory, she had instantly reverted to her cold tone from yesterday. I had a lot to discuss with her. But since this wasn't the best place for a conversation...
"...Let's move somewhere else first," I said, taking the lead.
Eisel shrugged with an indifferent expression and followed after me.
I should return the badge first.
I headed back to the guard's post. The guard, who was sweeping the area, widened his eyes the moment he saw me. When his gaze drifted to Eisel behind me, a broad grin spread across his face.
"Well, look at that! You two made up after all, huh?"
"...Indeed. Thanks to you, everything was resolved smoothly. Thank you."
Expressing my gratitude, I handed the badge back to the guard, who pinned it back onto his chest.
"No, no, don't mention it. It was nothing."
The guard waved his hand dismissively, then stole a glance at Eisel behind me before leaning in to whisper.
"But seriously... are you two really just friends? Or..."
"We are just friends."
"Hahaha! Come on, Cadet! Why so stiff? Ah, youth, sweet youth."
The guard patted my shoulder heartily and rubbed his nose once more.
"Well... have a good day."
Fearing that the atmosphere with Eisel, who was listening from behind, would turn awkward if this continued, I quickly bid farewell to the overly excited guard.
"..."
"..."
We walked in silence for a while. I was the first to break the long, quiet stretch.
"...So, why did you do it?"
"You looked like you were in trouble."
"I was, but..."
"Then that's all that matters."
Eisel tossed her answers back bluntly. She was being strangely prickly with me.
"You aren't asking me anything. Aren't you curious about why I was there?"
I questioned her back, genuinely curious about her behavior.
"...I have my own secrets too. Besides, it's not like you're a stranger... and there's no way you're an underwear thief sneaking into the girls' dorm."
An underwear thief is a bit much...
Perhaps a similar thought had crossed Yuri's mind as well.
"Should I ask you now?"
"No, that's quite alright."
It was still difficult for me to answer anyway. If I had known things would turn out like this, I would have snuck in during the dead of night.
"...Anyway, thank you."
"It was nothing."
My conversation with Eisel was straightforward.
In the game, conversations with Eisel felt much more vague and loaded with double meanings...
Except for Eisel, the personalities of the other characters were exactly as they were in the game. Amon, Edward, Reina, and Kaliman were all identical. Yuri was the only one who felt slightly different, but judging by what others said, she only acted that way toward me.
But Eisel... she's completely different from the game.
Since she was a regressor, something must have happened in her previous runs, but I couldn't grasp what it could be. The possibilities. I tried to calculate the variables she could hold as a regressor, but there were simply too many. In the game, every character had a set amount of dialogue. The scenarios that could unfold were predetermined. However, now that this had become reality, those limits were gone. That meant the potential scenarios had multiplied infinitely.
I didn't bother trying to predict every single future. I had never harbored the foolish notion that everything would proceed smoothly according to the game's original plot. The information I possessed as a transmigrator, and the information Eisel held as a regressor—with just these two variables, the future could easily warp in any direction. It was what people commonly referred to as the 'butterfly effect.' Even now, I was experiencing that butterfly effect firsthand. Due to Eisel's unintended influence, Edward had ended up watching the class placement exam, completely derailing my original plans.
This was closely tied to my reason for wanting to grow stronger. Starting with the simple goal of saving Eisel, I needed enough martial power to cope with any unexpected situations that might arise from a twisted future.
I need to get stronger much faster than I originally anticipated...
The doubts creeping up from Eisel's continuous, unpredictable actions amplified this resolve. I had to accelerate all my plans, even if it meant pushing my body to its absolute limits.
"So, where are we going now? Do you even know the way?"
At Eisel's question from behind, I cleared my cluttered mind and replied.
"Since my first day in this city, I've wandered around and memorized its geography. I never forget the way to a place once I've visited it. It's hard to call it a talent, but I'm quite confident in my sensory memory."
"..."
"And more than anything... didn't you say you were hungry?"
Eisel nodded. It seemed she really was hungry, even though she had only blurted it out earlier as an excuse.
Arriving in front of the restaurant, I needlessly looked around and sniffed the air, as if performing a final check to ensure we had arrived at the right place.
"...I believe this is it. It's a place I've visited before. What do you think?"
It was a restaurant I had stopped by for a quest before the placement exam. For the record, it was a place that the Eisel in the game had absolutely adored.
"Let's go in."
With Eisel's approval, I pushed the door open. The owner welcomed me warmly as we stepped inside.
"Oh, Zeto! You're here. I don't think I've seen the lady next to you before."
"Haha. Hello, Mr. Herald. We came to grab a bite."
Eisel and I took a seat at a table in the corner.
"By the way, Zeto, you've become quite the talk of the town around here."
"The talk of the town?"
"Well, you've helped more than a few folks. People are calling you the 'Blind Saint'."
Herald chuckled, walking over to our table and crossing his arms.
"Ahaha..."
I scratched the back of my head, embarrassed by the overly generous praise.
"A 'Blind Saint' is a bit much. With an actual Saintess out there, is it really alright for people to throw that title around? I just hope no one gets dragged away for blasphemy."
"Bwahahaha! If the Saintess comes to arrest them, our Blind Saint will save them, right?"
Herald laughed boisterously at my joke. The bald man possessed a remarkably cheerful and hearty personality.
"So, the usual?"
"Would you like to try the same thing as me? It's curry, and it's quite good."
In response to Herald's question, I suggested the curry to Eisel, knowing she would love it.
"I'll have the curry as well, then."
Having taken our order, Herald headed into the kitchen to cook. In the game, I used to run into Eisel at this restaurant from time to time, but now I was the one introducing it to her. It was a strange feeling.
"I have a question..."
Taking a sip of water, I tilted my head to signal her to go ahead.
"What did you do before coming to the Academy?"
"What did I do..."
"I'm just curious."
"My master taught me how to live well in this world despite my lack of sight."
In reality, it was a mystery whether the original Zeto had even existed in this world before my transmigration.
"How to live well in this world?"
"My master once taught me something. He said that when talking to someone, it's best to look them in the eye."
Eisel listened to my story with a hint of curiosity on her face.
"But since my eyes are covered, he told me to at least make a habit of turning my head toward the person I'm speaking with. For example, like this."
As I spoke, I gazed directly at Eisel. She stared back at me in silence. Facing her this closely, her doll-like beauty was so striking it was almost chilling. It was the same for her, Yuri, and the other girls. Was it because they were game characters? It felt as though only the most beautiful women had gathered in one place.
"...Stop..."
"Pardon?"
"...Ah, it's just a bit overwhelming..."
Eisel averted her gaze. She was hot and cold, drawing close only to push away again. It was incredibly difficult to read her mind right now. Nevertheless, I paid it no mind and continued speaking.
"My master taught me an ability called Qi Sensing, which acts as another set of eyes for me. He enabled me to walk on my own two feet without relying on anything, and to swing my arms and sword to protect myself. He was a truly wonderful person."
"..."
"Though... it has become difficult to see him again. Does that answer your question?"
Ever since I had mentioned a master during the placement exam, I had given the matter some thought. A powerhouse of the past. Someone whose mysterious deeds could justify any bizarre explanation I threw out. And they had to be deceased. Death was an absolute requirement. After all, I intended to seal their soul inside a Demon Blade. Considering the mechanics of Ghost Swordsmanship, that was the cleanest way to avoid any future complications. There was one person who fit the bill perfectly as my 'fake' master. She had died alone in a secluded place during closed-door training, far from the reach of others. Since no one knew when or why she had died, she was the perfect candidate. Furthermore, she had been an outstanding swordsman in life. In terms of swordsmanship, she was easily ranked in the top two on the continent. The first was the Sword Saint, and the second was her.
Eisel questioned me again. Was she just trying to keep the conversation going, or was she genuinely curious? To me, who was spinning nothing but fabrications, it didn't make a difference either way.
"My master wanted to show me a wider world. 'Show me'... quite an ironic expression to use on someone like me, but still."
"Ah..."
"So, I traveled all over the continent. Northsyke, where the harsh winter winds bit deep; Ishai in the East; and I even went to the Glass Desert."
The vast geographical knowledge I had acquired from the game was perfect for breathing life into my lies.
"...Then, what about the sea?"
Suddenly, Eisel's voice dropped slightly.
"The sea... which sea do you mean? I have been on a boat before."
"Veleshanas."
"Ah... Veleshanas. I believe I've heard it's famous for its beautiful beaches, but I don't recall ever traveling that far."
I drew the line there. I couldn't claim to have visited every single region, after all. Too much of a good thing was as bad as too little.
Eisel didn't speak to me again after that question. Did she get what she wanted from my answer? While I couldn't be certain of her intentions, she was definitely showing an interest in me. After a short wait, the curry—which was sure to boost Eisel's affection—finally arrived.
"Sorry for the wait! Here's your curry."
Herald placed two plates of curry on the table. With that, he excused himself, and our meal began.
Eisel scooped up some curry and popped it into her mouth.
"..."
She didn't utter a word of praise, but she didn't look displeased either. Like someone eating a nostalgic dish they hadn't had in ages, Eisel silently and eagerly shoveled the curry into her mouth until her cheeks puffed out. Truth be told, I wasn't a huge fan of curry. Just watching Eisel eat was enough to make me feel full, but leaving my spoon untouched in front of food would be bad manners. I took a large bite myself.
It was the same last time... but damn, this is spicy.