Became the Heroine's Trauma (2): The White Sword Saint

The White Sword Saint. Her name was Esta. The eleventh heroine.

Compared to me, Regiph, at age seven, this woman was seventeen—meaning in the original timeline, she'd be a full-grown adult of twenty-seven. Yeah. An adult.

"The adult heroines."

Heroines one through ten were all around seventeen—what you'd call high school girls. Of course, that was just the average age; some were notably younger, but they all fell into the minor category. Yurha Silverstar was one, and so was Seia.

So what about Esta the White Sword Saint and heroines eleven through sixteen?

"They're all adults."

Some had just graduated the academy at twenty, while others, like Esta, were in their late twenties. They all carried tragic pasts of their own—but

"They're virgins."

Just as the White Sword Saint would later be called the "Virgin of Light," all the heroines remained untouched by men until their endings. With looks and figures like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠theirs, how could she stay a virgin until twenty-seven? Wouldn't guys be all over her?

"That's how tough the adult batch is to conquer."

It wasn't that no men had ever hit on her—she'd fended off countless suitors without ever dating one. Not because of some fatal flaw. Sure, if you counted the tragic pasts that closed off their hearts as flaws, maybe they had a few. But as women, they lacked nothing. The original protagonist was just seventeen. The moment an adult heroine paired up with a seventeen-year-old high school boy, whether in-game or out, it screamed "GAME OVER." Student heroines' endings usually jumped ten years ahead, but the adult ones skipped straight to the protagonist's twentieth birthday.

Especially this sword saint, who snatched him up right after academy graduation for an immediate wedding. She was urgent about it.

I'd wondered how her seventeen-year-old self—prime student era—compared to that.

"No real difference."

Had she finished growing by seventeen? Or had her body perfected itself after becoming a swordmaster at fifteen, optimized for wielding the blade? The Esta I remembered as a player ten years later, and the seventeen-year-old I saw now as Regiph, looked much the same. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Outwardly, at least.

"What're you staring at?"

Esta spoke to me.

"Something on my face?"

Even against a count's son, she dropped formalities without hesitation—unlike the woman she'd become ten years from now.

"Yes."

"Oh? What's there?"

"Kindness?"

Her face seemed cold at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first glance, impassive. But now, her inner warmth shone right through.

"Oh my. Kiddo, your big sis isn't that kind. She's a downright terrifying swordswoman."

Esta ruffled my hair with a laugh. Good thing Seia wasn't around, or I might've had to hypnotize Esta too.

"I know. You're S-rank. Like my parents—maybe even stronger."

"Oh dear. Just comparing me to the count and countess is thanks enough."

Humble, even.

The woman who'd earn the moniker ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"Iron-Blooded Instructor" ten years later—what had happened to her in that decade? I knew.

"Master Esta. Planning to take any disciples?"

"Hmm... A disciple? Why, you interested?"

"Yes."

This woman had zero aptitude for it. Blame the devs' setup: from age twenty, she'd take disciples, only to watch them die or get maimed over and over. Arrogance. Her overwhelming swordsmanship let them steamroll foes, but the easy power bred too many enemies or lured them into basic traps. Disciples slain by the sword saint herself.

She became an academy instructor partly because it was the main stage, but her teaching skills were undeniably top-tier.

"I know you came through Silverstar Merchant Group as a mercenary—for S-rank beasts or monsters, right?"

"That's right."

"Ever thought about raising one disciple?"

Esta gave a troubled smile at my question.

"If conditions align, maybe. But there are... issues."

A soft rejection.

"First off—"

"Not me."

"Huh?"

Before she could assume otherwise, I corrected her misunderstanding.

"My little sister. Seia Hapsderk. She's got talent for the sword."

"......Hmm."

"I'm the one with no sword talent."

"Young master... ah. You're talking about Hapsderk traditions."

Reason one for her hesitation: my body, Regiph's, had no martial talent.

"I heard from Miss Yurha you're learning magic. Aiming to be a mage?"

"I'll keep up physical training, but magic's my main for survival."

"Smart attitude. I could oversee your workouts... when time allows."

"I can arrange that through Yurha, even if just a bit."

Reason two for hesitation: her hiring here was ostensibly for S-rank threats, but the ultimate goal of her employer was obviously Yurha.

"When Yurha comes to discuss with me, just give my sister a quick look-over. That's all."

"Mm... alright. If Miss Yurha's okay with it. And near her."

Esta was Yurha's bodyguard knight. A seventeen-year-old swordmaster, but no noble title despite her skills—a commoner adventurer. Freelance, basically. Nations and territories vied to hire her as a sworn knight. And everywhere she went, she'd train disciples who'd later die or end up crippled on adventures.

Not yet, though.

"Young master. Is that all you wanted to say? Seems like a pricey consultation fee for that."

Esta nodded at the jeweled box I'd placed before her. I'd bought her time through Yurha, and the kind, gentle Esta had refused the pocket money jewels I'd scraped together.

"This is your commission, Master Esta."

"......Double contracts are tricky."

I called her "master," and she shook her head seriously.

"I'm employed by Silverstar."

"Hear me out first. It's nothing big. Just in case."

I pulled out the prepared ancient tome.

"If this book is right, and a 'Demon of Eternal Frost' lurks in Hapsderk's Monster Zone. And if that demon dooms Hapsderk to ruin."

"That's why I'm here—to hunt it."

"If even you, Master Esta, can't handle it and we have to abandon the territory in the worst case."

Esta eyed the open ancient tome gravely.

"When you flee with Miss Yurha, if there's time, please take my sister too."

"......You."

She stared straight at me.

"You 'know' something's coming?"

"Not certain. Just insurance. Nobody buys fire insurance thinking it'll burn for sure. Better prevent it."

"......."

"For emergencies. Until Miss Yurha leaves, please. Call it guidance fees for Seia."

"Then."

She pointed at me.

"What about you, young master?"

"I'll be fine."

I would be.

"Even if things go south, just look after my sister."

"......."

"I'm serious."

Regiph's death wouldn't end the world. There were other ways after. But losing a heroine candidate—maybe two or three—who could awaken as an angel? That was a massive loss for this world.

"Young master... you're a really good big brother."

Esta mussed my hair wildly, smiling warmly.

"You're worrying too much. Nothing big'll happen. Definitely."

A week later.

Every time Yurha visited, Esta taught Seia basic body techniques. Despite being only five, Seia showed real talent, and training began in earnest.

Then Silverstar's adventurer party and Hapsderk Count's joint survey team headed deep into the Monster Zone.

"The ancient tome said don't go all the way."

I'd warned my parents before departure, sharing the tome's contents.

Their response was a sight.

Such threats wouldn't harm Hapsderk's heirs—their children. For a second, I panicked, wondering if they'd clocked me as a possessor, not Regiph. But they treated me like their son to my face, and I played along.

Come back safe, don't poke weird stuff, and I'd call them Dad and Mom again. Rethink Hapsderk traditions.

"Shouldn't have said that."

Did I jinx it? Or was this how "Silverstar dooms Hapsderk" fate manifested?

The count—my father—was dead.

The countess returned to the castle with a massive abdominal wound.

"What happened...?"

"A dimensional gate!! Silverstar's hunters opened a 'Demon Realm' portal! Deepest cave!!"

Demon Realm gate. Original second-loop boss trash mobs spilling from Demon Realm to reality.

Father slain fighting them. Mother unconscious.

"Young Master Regiph!"

Yurha rushed up, pale.

"Th-this is my fault...!"

"No."

I hugged the panicking Yurha, patting her back.

"It happened just like in the 'dream.'"

"Dream...?"

Play it off as a prophetic vision.

"Master Esta."

I turned to Esta, who'd come with Yurha. Demon blood splattered her clothes—she'd fought on the front lines.

"Take care of Yurha. And Seia."

"...What're you gonna do?"

"A seven-year-old kid? What can I do?"

Couldn't stop Silverstar. Couldn't curb hunters rampaging in the opened zone. Found and warned with the ancient tome using original knowledge, but useless.

"Gotta try something."

At least for the worst case, I'd prepared thoroughly.

Regiph Hapsderk.

My right hand.

I offer my soul.

A contract with the demon. Knowing its true name summoned its power here.

"...[Array]."

In my clenched fist.

To the eternally burning blue flames.

A faint blue flame flickered like a candle.

How to beat an S-rank boss.

A pact with an SS-rank demon.

Even if this body burned away from the pact.

The price?

"Everything."

Mana surged through me, and I charged straight into the Monster Zone.