Chapter 23
Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Discipline (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
◆
Carlyle was getting hit right in front of her eyes.
Even in this surreal situation that felt detached from reality—the first of its kind in her life—one thing was crystal clear to Vespa.
‘⋯⋯I have to do something.’
That thought surfaced first.
But what?
She had never handled anything this rough before. Even now, her body flinched with every resounding crash as Carlyle and Gray traded blows.
What the hell was she supposed to do—
-Just say what you want to say properly.
-How can someone who doesn’t value themselves expect others to value them?
-Whether it’s complaints, requests, whatever. I want you to lay it all out this time.
“⋯⋯.”
The words she had heard earlier flashed through Vespa’s chaotic mind.
‘Mr. Carlyle⋯⋯’
He was someone who always seemed to know everything in advance and prepared accordingly.
He had spotted her talent for magic before she even knew it herself and actively brought her along everywhere in the academy.
He had even stood up to Gray for her sake.
So.
She would trust him.
Say what she wanted.
What she wanted to say to Gray.
She gathered the first thought that came to mind.
What she had always wanted to say to her.
“⋯⋯Put sour things back where they belong.”
Cleaning up the messy room every time was always the servants’ job.
Carlyle might have chuckled at how modest that wish was if he heard it, but the effect was dramatic.
“Huh.”
Vespa uttered that dazed sound as she watched the blue mist gather before her eyes.
Huh?
Something had suddenly formed right in front of her.
It was the kind of phenomenon that would make any mage scream.
The first stage of magic that they struggled to achieve through lengthy incantations—consecration—had just been completed with those words alone.
It meant the world’s will—mana—was ready to accept her words.
“⋯⋯.”
What was this?
Something, something was happening.
But if something was happening, that meant she should keep going.
Vespa stammered on.
“⋯⋯My name isn’t ‘this,’ ‘that,’ ‘wretch,’ ‘trash,’ ‘nobody,’ ‘vermin,’ or anything like that. My name is Vespa Luciana. I’d like you to call me by my name.”
The blue mist began to sharpen into a more defined shape.
The second stage of magic: the vow.
Her wish was infused into the mana.
“I get tired serving you sometimes, too. I want to hear a thank you.”
The blue mist took on a more concrete form.
She didn’t want to truly harm anyone, but it still carried a clear tinge of ‘resentment.’
In the shape of a round, plump orb.
⋯⋯Even the way it embodied emotion as something small and cute reflected her personality.
Vespa squeezed her eyes shut and mumbled the rest.
“Other people don’t exist just for you.”
She wasn’t even sure what she was saying herself, but there was one clear theme.
She had complaints, too. She wasn’t some tool Gray could handle however she pleased.
She was human, too.
⋯⋯So, she hoped Gray would see her that way.
“And—”
Decisively.
-Apologize to Vespa, Lady Gray.
She was watching the person who had said that to her get hit.
Of course she was.
Angry.
“—hitting other people is something you shouldn’t do—!”
The moment she shouted that with her eyes squeezed shut.
The moment she infused that slightly intense emotion, it was as if the ‘world’ empathized with her anger. As if it were getting angry on her behalf.
The plump orb before her eyes shot off like a meteor.
A blinding white trail clung to her vision as the orb flew, and in that instant.
“⋯⋯!”
Gray’s eyes widened as she drew the Holy Sword she had strapped to her back.
The Holy Sword collided with the orb, and a dazzling explosion swept across the entire training ground.
“⋯⋯Kyaaahhh?!”
Vespa, who had actually launched the orb, panicked and clutched her head as she collapsed to the ground.
“L-Lady?! Are you okay?! W-What have I done⋯⋯!”
“⋯⋯.”
Vespa’s panicked voice rang out in a flurry, but Gray stood frozen in place, staring blankly at her own hand.
As if shocked by what had just happened.
Just now.
That ridiculous attack from Vespa.
Had made her feel enough ‘danger’ to draw her weapon.
From a person she had dismissed as ‘nothing.’
“Bet.”
Carlyle’s voice dropped over it casually.
“Looks like I won.”
“⋯⋯.”
There was no denying it.
◆
If asked about Gray’s flaws, Carlyle could talk for days on end and still not cover them all. Even so, one thing he could say positively about her was her standards were remarkably consistent.
Just look at how she took responsibility for the results of a bet she had acknowledged.
“⋯⋯Sorry.”
Standing before Vespa, Gray stared at the ground and muttered curtly.
It was laced with reluctance, but.
That was, without a doubt, an apology.
‘Good work.’
By her standards, this was equivalent to begging on her knees by normal people’s measures.
Considering that the adult Gray had once even considered fighting rather than apologize publicly for her mistakes.
“⋯⋯N-No, it’s⋯⋯”
Vespa, hearing those words, fidgeted even more.
She was happy, but the situation itself felt awkward.
‘No helping it.’
Carlyle gave a wry internal smile at the thought.
Well, it wasn’t anyone else—it was the Hero. He hadn’t expected any single event to fix everything.
Education wasn’t easy. It had to turn slowly over a long time.
⋯⋯That’s what he thought.
“Last time, I startled you. When I swung my sword.”
But her following words.
“I meant to apologize then, but I was surprised too and couldn’t.”
“⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯.”
Not just Vespa, but even Carlyle—the one who had demanded the apology—stared at Gray in stunned silence.
‘What.’
Who are you?
And you can communicate this normally?
“I heard what you said during the spar.”
Still glaring at the ground, Gray hesitantly continued.
“I didn’t even care. Never even thought you might have complaints.”
“L-Lady, uh, uhh⋯⋯”
Vespa’s eyes spun in circles.
She had never seen Gray act this humanely despite sticking with her all this time.
“Of course, even if I’d known you had complaints, I probably wouldn’t have cared.”
“⋯⋯.”
Ah, good.
Gray hadn’t completely lost it.
As Carlyle and Vespa breathed sighs of relief in that strange comfort, Gray let out a deep sigh and said.
“But⋯⋯I learned something this time. Even someone I completely ignored can surprise me. I might overlook value.”
So.
Realizing that.
“I started thinking there might be other things I’m missing.”
Other values hidden behind the walls of her arrogance.
She didn’t know what they were yet.
But at least, that line of thinking had opened up.
That’s why she was saying this.
“So, along with the apology. As a promise not to miss those things anymore.”
As a start.
Human to human.
She would listen to the other person.
“I’ll remember your name. Vespa Luciana.”
Vespa’s mouth fell open.
“⋯⋯Thanks. For working so hard all this time.”
Carlyle’s mouth fell open.
“Ladyyyy—!”
Vespa burst into tears and hugged Gray.
“Hey, what are you doing? You’ll dirty my clothes—get off—!”
⋯⋯Of course, Gray panicked and pushed her away.
But.
She didn’t draw her sword like before.
That was, without a doubt.
A clear improvement.
◆
“Why are you so quiet again?”
That night, in the dorm.
He addressed the unusually silent Holy Sword.
[You.]
“Yes.”
[⋯⋯If I had met you a little earlier, could I have had a conversation like that with Vespa?]
“⋯⋯.”
[Could I have kept her from dying like that?]
“No idea.”
He hadn’t tried, so he didn’t know.
But one thing was certain.
“It’s in the past. Can’t change it.”
[⋯⋯.]
“The people here right now are happy. That’s enough for me.”
The relationship between Gray and Vespa here and now had changed.
Not completely, but at least he had laid the foundation to change their future.
“We do what we can, one by one. No point regretting what can’t be changed.”
[⋯⋯True enough.]
“The Hero gets sentimental at times like this.”
[Perhaps. Isn’t your sentimentality a bit unique?]
“Yes?”
[You said you’ve regressed many times. Surely you have regrets like me⋯⋯]
Even if it was in the past.
Even if regression erased it.
Memories remained. And the emotions tied to them.
She only regressed once and felt this much—how must Carlyle feel after so many?
There had to be deep scars etched into his soul, that’s what she meant.
“⋯⋯.”
Carlyle paused before giving a wry smile.
“I don’t have any like that.”
[No, there must be something—]
“I said none.”
The Holy Sword fell silent at his flat tone, flustered.
No change in expression, but instinctively she knew.
This was this regressor’s reverse scale.
Don’t dig too deep.
[⋯⋯Sorry. Shouldn’t have pried.]
“Nah, it’s fine.”
Carlyle replied in his usual sly tone, chuckling as he yawned.
A new window floated before his eyes.
-System Message
▶ Quest: Discipline completed!
▶ Trait ‘Hero’s Companion’ activated.
▶ Part of ‘Reformation List’ updated!
[ ★ Arrogance 100% → 80% ]
▶ Rewards provided!
▶ High progress on Reformation List.
▶ Quest ‘Hidden Reward’ unlocked!
“Oh.”
Carlyle stroked his chin as he eyed the window.
The rewards were nice, but the last line stood out most.
Come to think of it, the quest had mentioned hidden rewards.
Good results must have met the conditions.
Wonder what it’ll be. Hopefully something good.
-System Message
▶ ‘Linked Quest’ generated.
▶ Linked Quests are special quests tied to ‘Main Events.’
▶ Relatively low difficulty, but clearing them greatly impacts Main Events!
‘⋯⋯Nice?’
Nothing to complain about from the description.
He’d have to look into what Main Events were, but they were likely the highest danger, toughest ordeals.
Probably events tied to Hell or demons.
Greatly influencing those? Definitely worth doing. Facing that side required utmost preparation.
Carlyle organized his thoughts and waited for the next window. He needed to see the Linked Quest details.
Relatively low difficulty, so it shouldn’t be too tough—
-Quest Info
▶ Make an ‘academy friend’ for Hero ‘Gray Chasefield’!
▶ Friends [ 0/1 ]
“⋯⋯No, fuck.”
Low difficulty, huh.