The Master of the Magic Sword -2-
"...What the hell."
I muttered in confusion at the Magic Sword that had so easily granted me permission for its trial. Honestly, I hadn't expected to succeed on the first try. I'd thought it would be pickier than the Holy Sword....
Solitude
I was surprised by the Magic Sword's generosity in granting me qualification so readily. I wondered if my life was truly that unfortunate. If we measured by ordinary standards, my life could indeed be called unhappy. Abandoned by my parents in my previous life, and serving as a butler to a villainess in this one. Still, "unfortunate" felt like too strong a word. I was happy enough. If this level of misfortune qualified someone to wield the Magic Sword, then any cultist could probably swing it around freely. Elysia was proof of that.
"Well, the lower the barrier, the better."
I let out a dry laugh at the Magic Sword's unexpectedly lax gatekeeping and focused on the trial.
From now on, you will witness the most miserable moment of your past. You will see the moment when you were abandoned by someone you loved, forced to smile even as sorrow overwhelmed you.
"...Do I even have something like that?"
There is only one way to pass the trial.
Do not turn your eyes away from the given ordeal.
If it was related to solitude, one thing came to mind. The time I'd accidentally overheard the young lady being badmouthed at the academy.... That had really hurt.
"That's... going to be pretty rough."
The cold voice in my ears began feeding me more information about the trial.
The lantern before you will either extinguish or blaze brightly according to your emotions.
Do not let the lantern go out.
It is your "eyes" within the trial.
I figured that seeing unpleasant memories in exchange for obtaining a legendary sword was a fair trade. The events were already in the past; feeling bad about them wouldn't change anything. Stretching in the darkness, I took a deep breath and clapped my hands once.
"Alright. Let's go."
Caliburn frowns at your life.
Caliburn vibrates.
Caliburn fears the "challenger."
"What the—"
Before I could even voice my confusion, the trial came rushing toward me.
Caliburn's trial has begun.
"It can't be that bad...."
Take hold of the lantern.
Along with the cold voice, an old wooden table and a black lantern appeared before me. The lantern flickered faintly, as if urging me to grasp it. I swallowed hard and reached out. The moment my fingers closed around it, a hazy light spread through the surroundings, and a white door materialized in front of me.
"Gulp."
Open the door of memory.
Shrugging, I felt the cold wind against my skin and slowly walked toward the white door. It didn't match the image of a magic sword at all—pure white. When I placed my hand on the doorknob, a creaking sound echoed as the door began to open.
—Shhhhhh.
The environment changed. I felt dense darkness and a cool breeze brushing through my hair. Then—
—Sob... hngh...
The sound of someone crying reached my ears, snapping me back to attention. Weeping. A sorrowful, broken sobbing. I lifted my head and looked around.
"Where is this...?"
It didn't feel like a terrifying memory. I stood in a clean, open plain and turned my head in confusion. This wasn't what I'd expected. I'd thought it would be the academy, but instead I found myself in an unfamiliar meadow. As I looked around in bewilderment, a familiar voice called out from beside me.
—Ricardo...?
"Huh...?"
—What are you doing over there?
It was the young lady. She stood before me on two perfectly healthy legs, tilting her head in curiosity. She looked about five years older than she did now. I stared at her, equally puzzled.
—Did I die?
—Eek?
—No?
—Eeeek!!
Her speech patterns hadn't changed at all even after all this time. I let out a small, helpless laugh and shook my head.
"Still the same as ever."
—Eek...!
The young lady grabbed my hand and started pulling me along.
—Don't just lie there. Come on.
—...Yes?
—Everyone's waiting.
—Who... is waiting?
She puffed out her cheeks and pointed to one side. When I looked, I saw familiar faces sitting in a circle on the wide plain—Yuria, Shyartia, Syuen, and even Mikhail. The sight of that impossible combination gathered together left me stunned as I was dragged along by the young lady's hand.
What was going on? The trial was supposed to show me the worst moment of my past, yet this scene didn't exist in my memories at all. I couldn't understand it.
—Sit!
Pulled by her hand, I plopped down onto the ground and felt the cool breeze against my skin.
—...Hmm. What part of this is supposed to be about solitude?
"..."
What part of this was supposed to be about misfortune? The scene was so painfully peaceful that I could only smile awkwardly while feeling both fear and joy at the same time.
"Is this some kind of error?"
Relieved by the thought that I'd accidentally found a loophole, I slowly raised my head and spoke to Mikhail and Yuria.
—Have you been well?
—...
—...
—Huh...?
The smiles on my face vanished at the sight of their stiff expressions.
—...It was dark.
Their faces were filled with sorrow, as if they were staring at some great tragedy.
—...Why are you making those faces?
—...
—Are you not happy to see me?
—...
Flustered, I turned to the young lady. She was the one who had brought me here. If anyone could explain why Yuria and Mikhail looked like that, it would be her. After all, this was just a trial. None of it was real. There was no need to be afraid. So—
—Young la—
—Sniff.
—Young lady...?
She was crying. She rubbed her face with the back of her white hand, trying to hold back her tears. When our eyes met, she forced an awkward smile and spoke.
—Let's eat, Ricardo....
—No... why—
—Hm? It's nothing. Let's eat.
—Yes?
—Yuria and Mikhail brought lunch boxes. Let's eat.
—You need to explain what's going on. I'll get indigestion if I eat like this.
—...
The young lady lowered her head deeply, refusing to meet my gaze. Mikhail, Yuria, and everyone else did the same, only sniffling quietly.
"Why..."
My lips moved on their own, as if I were truly living through this moment.
—...Shouldn't I know as well?
The young lady answered in a voice thick with tears.
—You know, Ricardo.
—...Yes.
—It's, you know.
—Yes.
—Do you remember that time?
—...
—A little while ago, the cultists attacked the academy in droves, remember?
—...
—Ricardo.
She dropped her tears and spoke softly.
—Did you use black magic?
—...
—Really...?
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke in a trembling voice. Her clenched fists gripped her skirt, and droplets fell onto the backs of her hands.
—...Did you use black magic?
My lips moved again.
—...Yes.
I could feel the emotion. My heart pounded violently, and a sharp sting burned at the corners of my eyes. What was this feeling? This heartache that felt as though I had truly experienced it—what was it? I was afraid. Afraid of what the young lady would say next. Afraid of myself, answering so calmly. This had never happened. It wasn't real. Yet I couldn't understand why I felt this way.
"..."
The young lady continued in a shaking voice.
—You know, Ricardo...
—...
—You know...
—...
—We...
She smiled awkwardly and said,
—I think we're forgetting you.
—...
—...
I told myself it was just an illusion created by the Magic Sword. Since it was fake, I shouldn't be confused. I scolded myself over and over to stay calm and accept it. But—
"..."
When I saw my own reflection in the teacup, I lost my words.
"Why am I crying?"
Tears were falling. I couldn't lift my head, like a knight giving his final farewell after failing to protect his lord. My emotions were shaking. The young lady spoke the words I most wanted to hear, her fists clenched tightly.
—The price... was paid with memories?
—...
—Was it paid with memories...?
—...
—Is that what happened?
—With lifespan, it...
—...
—It wasn't enough with lifespan. I had to offer something more valuable... if I wanted to protect everyone.
—Why would you do something like that!!!!
I kept my head lowered, smiling sadly without saying a word, as if her words were the truth. Her screams echoed in my ears.
—Why would you do that!!!
—...
—Why!!! Why!!! Why!!!
—...
—You should've just let everyone die. You should've been the one to live.... Why did you do that!!! Why would you do something so stupid....
It felt like my heart was being torn apart. This wasn't real. It was just a dream. Yet strangely, my chest....
—I'm sorry.
The pain was excruciating. If the reward for saving people was oblivion.... It was terrifying. "..." I felt miserable and alone. After shouting for a long time, the young lady frantically grabbed my face, tears streaming down. She desperately wiped at my eyes, nose, and mouth with her fingers, swallowing her sobs.
—You know... Ricardo.
She was crying.
—...I can't remember you.
She forced a smile, trying to hide her tears.
—I'm trying so hard to remember, trying not to forget....
Tears flowed.
—I can't remember your face....
A heavy feeling settled over me.
—I can't remember you.
I let out a sigh. Not one born of frustration, but of deep sorrow. It slipped quietly from my lips.
—That's a relief.
I spoke in a hollow voice.
—It's a relief that you can forget a useless butler like me.... I'm glad.
The emotions were transmitted directly. A sadness that made it impossible to lift my head pulled heavily at my heart. I took the young lady's hand and smiled brightly.
—We can just start over.
—...Sniff.
—If we start from the beginning, I can leave a cooler impression on you.
—...Liar.
—Have I ever lied to you?
—...Will you really come back?
—Of course.
Now I understood why this trial was so terrifying.
—Hic... Will you really come back...?
—Don't fall in love with me.
—...Idiot.
The most frightening thing about this trial wasn't the false past—it was showing a despair that might have actually happened.
—I've already...
Flicker... The lantern begins to shake.
The lantern trembled, flickering weakly in time with my wavering emotions. Saving the world—no. I couldn't even save my own world. I couldn't save myself. I couldn't save my people. I was the one who fell without saving anyone. That was why this trial was so terrifying.
—You...
Thud.
The young lady's hand that had been caressing my face pulled away. It grew distant, cold and stinging against my skin. I felt sharp gazes. The eyes of everyone seated here had changed as they looked at me. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited with an awkward smile, bracing myself for the words I least wanted to hear. The most terrifying words.
—...Grip.
I steeled my heart.
—...
The young lady spoke, her eyes trembling.
"You... who are you?"
The lantern shook violently.
The trial has moved to its climax.
To the moment of cold rejection....
To the moment of struggling to restore the relationship but never reaching it....
Zzt... zzt...
The trial began to distort. The lantern that had seemed ready to go out suddenly blazed with bright light.
That's enough.
Along with the long-absent Blue Window, a crack began to form.
Before I break it.