Escort
Unlike Muriel and Rebecca, who had emerged looking dignified, stalwart, and utterly radiant, Cacciola looked entirely wretched.
A pale, haggard face resembling a corpse, unfocused eyes streaming with tears, ragged breathing, and limbs trembling uncontrollably—she was the very picture of an unsightly loser.
"Ugh, hic... ah, uuuugh...!"
Patting her back absentmindedly as she wept softly, I let out a weary sigh. "There's no need to cry like this, Cacciola. You can challenge the trial as many times as you want. If you keep trying until you succeed, you'll reach it eventually."
Even as the words left my mouth, I knew it was useless comfort. She wasn't crying over that right now.
The shame and embarrassment of failing the trial; the crushing guilt toward me for providing all that support; the self-loathing and disgust at having floundered around indulging in happiness when she bore the sworn mission of revenge... and everything in between. Her heart was probably in tatters, a mangled mess in no state to be shown to anyone.
"Hic, uwaaah...!"
Realizing the clumsy intent and truth behind my words, Cacciola began to weep even more sorrowfully. Quick on the uptake as always. For someone barely holding her mind together, she caught on remarkably fast.
"...I was hoping you'd just let me pretend and chew on it by yourself, but... Cacciola. Does it hurt that much?"
"It hurts...! So much...! It hurts so bad... I feel like I'm going crazy...!"
"I'm sure it does. I understand how you feel."
"What do you know?! You don't know anything...!"
Lashing out in a conditioned, fiery flare of temper, she caught sight of my face and instantly recoiled, biting down hard on her lip. Bright red blood trickled down her chin.
"S-Sorry. I'm sorry... I didn't mean that. I didn't mean to trivialize your loss or say it was nothing...! I, I just...!"
"I know. I understand. It's not identical, but it's similar. You're not the only one. Me too. I lost things, too."
"Ah, uuu, waaahhh...!"
Only those in similar circumstances, bearing similar wounds, can lick each other's scars. As if I were her only anchor in the world, she burrowed deep into my chest. When I stroked her back, her arms squirmed upward and wrapped tight around me.
"Haa... Guess sleeping is out of the question tonight. Muriel. Pour me some liquor."
"...Understood."
Muriel shot Cacciola a brief look of displeasure, but obediently prepared the liquor and snacks. Collapsing onto the sofa with the sobbing Cacciola in my arms, I gently stroked her trembling frame and picked up a glass. Muriel, seated beside me, poured the spirits with practiced grace.
"Khaa...!"
I drained the glass in a single gulp, then held out the freshly refilled cup to Cacciola.
"Have a drink."
"...Hic, snif..."
Staring at the glass for a second, Cacciola knocked it back without a word.
"Ghk...! It's strong...!"
"Strong liquor's the best medicine at times like this."
Emptying glass after glass in silence, the harsh alcohol loosened our limbs into languor and made our spirits float light and buoyant.
"Snif, hic... I was so happy..."
It was around then that Cacciola, who had only been shedding silent tears, finally spoke.
"I... a younger me, surrounded by my family, safe and whole, my parents, my friends... Day after day, I was so happy..."
"Is that so."
"I hated the thought of leaving that place. I was terrified. Losing them all over again... I was so scared, so frightened... I couldn't bear it."
"...I can imagine."
Thinking about it again, Cacciola's trial really was somewhat vicious. Not that the other two had it easy, but... to be completely honest, I couldn't help but deeply sympathize with her.
"In the end, in the end... everything rotted away, broke, fell apart. I, I... could only stand there watching until the very end. Unable to run, unable to break free, just praying, begging that it wouldn't happen..."
"...Yeah."
I stroked her green hair and passed her another glass.
Gulp!
Draining it at once, she burrowed deeper into my chest with hazy eyes, seeking warmth as if she couldn't endure another second without someone by her side.
"Leaving that place on my own two feet... is impossible. I, I..."
Slurring her words, she poured out her grief and agony before falling asleep right there in my arms.
"...Phew."
I wasn't shameless enough to call her weak. Considering my early days after transmigrating, I had been just as bad, if not far worse.
"I wonder how things will turn out now..."
Having taken such a brutal blow, she might give up on the trial altogether. If that happened, her path to becoming a Sword Master would become infinitely longer and more arduous. Her revenge would slip that much further away, too.
Yet there was nothing I could do for her. I could offer empty platitudes, but would they do any good? This was a hurdle she had to overcome entirely on her own.
...That was why it was called a trial, I suppose. The Goddess sure had a nasty personality.
"Haa..."
"Are you worried, Master Han-gil?"
"...Yeah. I am."
"I feel rather jealous. Had I known, I should have failed my trial as well."
"If you're going to say something like that, at least try making a convincing facial expression."
Looking at her deadpan face as she spouted nonsense, I let out a chuckle.
"Even after reaching the Sword Master tier, you haven't changed a bit."
"Do you dislike it?"
"No, I like it. It'd be awkward if you changed."
"Fufu..."
A subtle smile gracing her lips, Muriel gently rested her head against my shoulder.
However, my worries ended up being entirely for nothing. At least, on the surface.
"I want to challenge the trial again."
"...Are you sure? You could wait until you've gathered yourself a bit more."
The next morning, waking up with a look of fierce resolve, Cacciola made me say something uncharacteristically gentle. She offered a sorrowful smile and nodded.
"I'm sure. Of course it's terrifying, painful, and agonizing... but it's not like I can just run away, right? So... please send me back into the trial."
"I understand how you feel, but... wouldn't it be better to rest a bit? There's a banquet going on right now anyway, so you could enjoy that..."
"Sorry, I'm really not in the mood for that. If I don't deal with this trial somehow—if I don't dislodge this boulder crushing my chest—I don't think I'll be able to do anything else."
"Hmm. Well, if you say so... Perfect timing, Cecilia's here too."
"Mmph... Huh?"
I had no idea when she had arrived, but Cecilia—who had commandeered the sofa since early morning and was happily shoveling cake into her mouth—turned her head toward us. Vivian, Leona, and Everil were with her, for the record. Everil had initially freaked out and tried to decline, but unable to withstand the joint invitation of the ducal house's youngest daughter and the Saintess, she sat at the table glancing around in sheer terror.
"Cecilia. Could you cast 'Miracle of the Celestial Sphere' on Cacciola?"
"Mmm, gulp! Yes. Leave it to me."
Despite the sudden request, she clasped her hands without a single complaint and began to pray for Cacciola. Soon, a sacred light flowed forth and seeped into Cacciola's body. Seeing that, I nodded, took out the Invitation of the Forgotten, and focused my mind.
Vwoooom!
Just like before, a golden gate manifested.
"Inhale, exhale... Well then, this time for sure."
"Yeah. Hang in there."
"...Never imagined I'd hear such gentle words from our Master... Guess if you live long enough, you see everything. Fufu... Well, off I go."
With a playful parting remark, Cacciola leaped into the gate and vanished from sight. Her mental state seemed sturdier than expected. Whether that was a good thing or not, I couldn't say.
Tucking the Invitation of the Forgotten back into my robes, I lit a cigarette.
"Pheeew..."
"Lord Alzen. Will you not attend the banquet?"
"Hmm? Ah, I showed my face on the first day, so I don't plan on going back. Going there is just annoying and bothersome anyway."
"Is that so... How disappointing. I had hoped to enjoy the banquet together with you, Lord Alzen."
"...You do realize your official status is my maid, right?"
Needless to say, such banquets were noble-centric affairs meant for high nobility. It sounded harsh, but if she attended the banquet, it could provoke all sorts of nasty gossip behind our backs. And yet, there was no way Muriel didn't know that...?
When I stared at her, Muriel curled the corners of her lips into a sly, fox-like smile. Every tiny movement of hers was so sensual and steeped in allure that it was almost troubling.
"However, I am also a Sword Master, Lord Alzen. Are you unaware of how Sword Masters are treated?"
"Ah, fair point."
In the Divine Realm, Sword Masters were exceedingly rare and precious figures. As such, even without a formal title of nobility, a Sword Master received implicit, extraordinary deference. Just being a Sword Master meant you were treated as aristocracy—high nobility, in fact, on par with a count.
Of course, anyone looking to pick a quarrel could always find an excuse... but how many people on this continent had the guts for that? A Sword Master was the very embodiment of 'overwhelming martial might.' And before such overwhelming might, laws and etiquette carried little weight.
If an offended Sword Master decided to come slit your throat, reality dictated that you simply had to accept it with an, 'Ah, my mistake,' and die quietly. Even if they voluntarily turned themselves in to the courts afterward, they would likely walk away with barely a slap on the wrist. There was no human resource more magnificent than a Sword Master, after all.
"Do people usually boast about that themselves, though?"
"I happen to be somewhat shameless."
Letting out a dry laugh, I took a sip of my drink.
"Hmm... Actually, that sounds pretty entertaining, doesn't it?"
I didn't care for banquets in the slightest, but seeing haughty, arrogant nobles groveling and fawning over a Sword Master who had once been a Shadow Knight was something I genuinely wanted to witness.
"Alright. In that case, let's bring Rebecca along too. I'd love to see them bowing their heads to a Sword Master who used to be a mercenary adventurer."
"No. Let us go just the two of us."
"Is there really a need for that?"
"If you attend once with me, and once with Rebecca, wouldn't you get to enjoy two completely different reactions?"
"Hmm..."
I narrowed my eyes at her. Her ulterior motive was blatantly obvious, but I decided to humor her this once. It had been a while since we reunited, so spending some quality time alone together wouldn't hurt. ...Looking at it that way, would this count as a date?
"I came over to hang out..."
Right then, the door swung open and Third Princess Arpe trudged in, looking like death warmed over. Red, swollen eyes, drooping corners of her mouth, a pouty lower lip, and eyes shrouded in a grim, murderous gloom as if she despised the entire world. Looks like she'd been crying her eyes out somewhere... Probably because Greenjack was on the verge of being disbanded and stripped away from her. Urtega seemed to be handling things thoroughly.
"What are you here for?"
To be honest, I was curious about how things were progressing, but since there was no reason to poke a hornets' nest, I played dumb and greeted her nonchalantly.
"......"
She glared at me for a moment, then sighed and shook her head.
"I told you, I came to hang out... Ah... you're already playing a game... Let me join..."
Spotting the board game the kids had spread out across the table, the Third Princess shuffled toward them like a zombie. Anyone looking at her would think the world was ending.
"...Well, do whatever you want. I'm heading out to show my face at the banquet."
"Ah. You're not going to play?"
"Nope."
"And here you said we were friends..."
"Being friends doesn't mean we have to hang out every second. If I have time later, I'll play with you, so be patient."
"Hmph! It's not like I wanted to play with you anyway, Sir Alzen!"
Pouting haughtily and sticking her tongue out, she slumped into a chair at the table. I chuckled softly at the sight. At least she didn't look like she was about to cause trouble right this second.
"Muriel. Let's go."
"Yes, Lord Alzen."
Escorting Muriel, who naturally slid her arm through mine, I set off toward the banquet hall.