Don't Go

"···."

"···."

The path leading to the makeshift training ground was quiet. Bleak. Awkward.

Julia kept her mouth firmly shut the entire way, not saying a single word. Whenever I glanced back to check if she was still following, she would whip her head away and pointedly ignore me.

This was driving me insane.

At least she wasn't sulking this time, but she was still avoiding me like the plague.

Maybe she doesn't hate me as much as I thought?

The fact that she tried to hold my hand... does that mean she doesn't despise me enough to want me dead? Is that even possible? After seeing this face of mine?

I felt a flicker of doubt.

Perhaps the effects of the skill, Villain's Fate, aren't as absolute as I initially believed.

At first, I thought the skill's influence was absolute. After all, everyone I met either frowned or trembled in terror. That's why I'd always hidden my goodwill behind the excuse of self-interest rather than offering it directly.

I'd assumed that anyone who looked at me would only ever see a villain, as if a filter were permanently fixed over their eyes. But lately, that filter seemed to be cracking—though only with the people closest to me, those who had known me for a long time.

If things continued this way, maybe I really could avoid that blood-soaked future.

Just as that hope was beginning to grow, a familiar face came barreling toward us from afar.

"Mister! You're here! But why do you two look so awkward!? Did something happen? That's it, right?"

"N-No, it's nothing!"

At Charlotte's sharp observation, Julia immediately denied it with all her might. The fact that Charlotte was here meant the performance test must already be over. A twinge of disappointment crept in.

"So the performance demonstration went well?"

"Ah! We haven't even started yet!"

"What? Why not?"

"Because you weren't here, Mister."

"···?"

I tilted my head in confusion. Charlotte looked at me like I was asking something obvious. I was the one confused here, you little rascal.

"Didn't Silvia tell you I'd be late?"

"She did. But she said you'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be late, not that you weren't coming. So of course we waited! We really wanted you to see it."

"What about the audience? I heard quite a few people gathered to watch the test."

"Everyone left!"

"···."

Of course they did. If you announce a start time and then make people wait over two hours, anyone would leave. It was absurd, but Charlotte just beamed innocently. Her face looked a little flushed, too.

"This way we can do it without any interruptions, just the three of us! It's actually better!"

"···."

I didn't have any complaints either, so I let it slide.

Together with Charlotte and Julia, I entered the makeshift training ground. It was a crude facility with no roof, just a fence separating the inside from the outside. But that made it perfect for testing the Super Strong Sword. Anything overhead would just get smashed to pieces anyway.

"How are we conducting the performance test?"

"We'll wrap a small flame around the Super Strong Sword···."

She meant sword aura.

"Then measure the mana consumption and destructive power. After that, we'll make the small flame bigger···."

Again, she meant sword aura.

"And keep making it bigger, over and over! That way we can measure mana efficiency at each size!"

"Oh?"

I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠assumed it would be some sloppy, half-baked method, but it was surprisingly scientific and practical. Mana efficiency was important too—it was like fuel economy in a car.

"Alright! Let's begin!"

Charlotte drew the Super Strong Sword. With a low hum, a violet glow rippled along the blade. Sword aura—the flame that proved one had reached the rank of Sword Master—burned in Charlotte's hand.

With a solemn expression, she raised the sword high, aiming at the empty clearing ahead. Then···

"Thunderclap!"

···she swung the sword down while shouting that embarrassingly childish name.

In an instant, the aura sliced through the air. I thought its small size would only manage to cut through the tiny rock up ahead, but—

"Huh?"

"···What?"

The aura erupting from the sword tip grew larger and larger. It swelled until it seemed ready to pierce the sky. Charlotte froze in panic, and I shouted urgently.

"Strike down, Charlotte! It'll keep growing endlessly until you release it!"

"Y-Yes! Thunderclap!!!"

Only then did Charlotte move. As the sword came crashing down, a massive violet flash dyed the sky. Then—

BOOOOOOM!

An enormous impact slammed into the ground, sending a powerful tremor through the earth.

"Cough, cough!"

As the dust slowly settled, the sight before me was Charlotte sprawled out on the ground and a massive fissure splitting the earth like a canyon.

"Haaaah. I didn't mean to shoot something that big···."

"Charlotte."

"I-It's true! Before, I kept the small flame small just fine!"

"I know. The problem was probably the incantation."

"Incantation?"

"Or rather, the technique name. Thunderclap. The moment you gave that technique a name, it stopped being just words. It became a named skill with its own properties and power. That's why it automatically unleashed the same output as when you first used it."

"So that's what happened···!"

Whether it was a magic spell or a sword technique, the principle was the same. Once deeply imprinted in the subconscious, it would repeat the same routine. In Thunderclap's case, it had probably been recorded as a technique that drew out all remaining mana in Charlotte's body and released it as aura. The result was Charlotte, lying on the ground after mana exhaustion, yet still smiling brightly.

"I almost said Thunderclap by mistake before too···. That would've been bad···."

"···Now that you know, be more careful."

A chill ran down my spine. A technique capable of splitting mountains and turning a peaceful field into a canyon had nearly been used at my mansion? Still, it was fortunate we'd discovered the issue before an accident occurred. I couldn't bring myself to scold Charlotte and only let out a sigh of relief.

She's already handling the power of incantations. Her growth is much faster than I expected.

The technique of imbuing words with power. Julia used it in the form of spirit speech, while Charlotte used it through incantations. They wielded it so casually, but this was a realm only skilled mages and swordsmen could reach.

Even accounting for the fact that I'd helped awaken them both, their growth rate was extraordinary.

"I'll be careful···. But, um, I can't move my body···. Could you help me up···?"

"Your voice has no strength in it. You look like you're about to die right now after using up your entire lifespan."

"Ugh! Please stop saying that···."

Charlotte blushed in embarrassment. I couldn't help but laugh, remembering her pitiful expression from when she'd acted like she was on death's door. Smiling, I picked her up—and immediately noticed her body temperature was abnormally high.

"Charlotte. You're burning up."

"Hehe. I know···. I moved my body a lot, so of course I'd have a fever···"

"That's not what I mean. I'm saying your temperature is abnormally high."

I placed my hand on Charlotte's forehead. Her temperature had risen sharply, and cold sweat beaded on her skin.

Damn it. She really was sick.

"Silvia. Call a physician. Quickly!"

"Yes!"

In an instant, the household was in an uproar.

"It's just a mild cold. Drink plenty of water and rest well, and she'll recover soon."

"Nonsense. Does this idiot look like someone who'd catch a cold? In this heat? If you don't want to make an enemy of me, you'd better examine her more thoroughly."

"It really is a cold···. Please believe me, Count···."

When I glared at him, the physician flinched and began re-examining Charlotte while on the verge of tears. At times like this, the Villain's Fate skill was quite useful.

After a long while of "examining" (or pretending to), the physician bowed his head and stammered with a trembling voice.

"It's true··· It really is··· No matter how I look at it, the symptoms are those of a cold··· I swear···!"

"Hmm."

"Why would I lie to you, Count? If I'm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wrong, I'll offer my own head···!"

"Hmm."

"I'll stake my wife and children's lives as well···!"

"Fine. I understand. You may leave."

"Th-Thank you!"

I tossed him a single gold coin worth about a million larks and sent the physician away. Just a cold? I still couldn't quite believe it. On a summer day like this, Charlotte—who was always so healthy—had fallen ill?

"He's a physician renowned for his skill and reputation. I believe we can trust his diagnosis."

"···."

Even to me, it did look like a cold. The fever was mild, nothing serious. She'd probably recover after a good night's sleep, but···

Just in case, I should keep an eye on her. I nodded at Kali's demand and pulled a chair up beside Charlotte's bed.

"Hnn, hnn···"

"She's dreaming."

Charlotte, who had fallen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠asleep at some point, let out a soft groan and tossed restlessly. Was she having a nightmare? Just in case, I checked her forehead again, then gently stroked her hair in relief. Her fever hadn't risen any higher. If anything, it seemed to have gone down a little.

At that moment, Julia's face peeked out from the doorway.

"Charlotte··· Is she okay···yo?"

"The physician said it's just a mild cold. She'll be fine. Has Charlotte ever been this sick before?"

"Mm, no. She gets exhausted sometimes from playing too much and ends up bedridden, but that's about it···yo."

"···."

That meant the possibility of a chronic illness was extremely low. Thank goodness. I'd been startled when the usually healthy girl suddenly collapsed like this.

"You should go get some sleep. Ah, but you need my hand to fall asleep, don't you?"

"It's fine. I think I can sleep without it. Just take care of Charlotte instead···yo."

Julia turned away coolly and left. Could she really sleep well? I had my doubts, but right now, Charlotte was the priority.

"By the way, what could have caused this? Maybe one of the employees caught a cold and passed it to her? I should find anyone who's sick and make sure they don't come to work."

Of course, I meant with paid leave.

I should bring a book or something.

While watching over Charlotte, I could at least read. Just as I quietly pushed my chair back and stood up—

"D-Don't go··· Mom···"

"···."

Swish.

Charlotte's small fingers clutched at my sleeve. Her hand was covered in fresh cuts from swinging her sword so diligently. Even in her sleep, that pitiful hand desperately held onto my clothes and refused to let go.

I let out a deep sigh and sat back down.

"I'm not going anywhere, so please sleep well."

"Hnn···"

Because she was always so bright and cheerful, I'd almost forgotten. Charlotte was also an orphan who had lost her parents.

I wiped away the single tear trailing down her cheek and held her hand tightly. Only then did Charlotte's sobs subside. The grip on my sleeve loosened, and the tension in her body gradually relaxed.

"Haa. You two really are a handful together."

How should I put it? It wasn't the kind of trouble I particularly disliked.

Tonight was going to be a long one.