Chapter 27
Chapter 27
“…Um, did you need something?”
“….”
Matios looked up at Professor Wilhelmine, who stood tall before him.
Her shadow swallowed the sunlight as it stretched over him. Within that shade, her expression was unreadable as she stared down at him in silence.
Then—
Whoosh.
Her gloved hand suddenly moved toward his shoulder.
More precisely, toward where Shu was.
“W-whoa.”
Startled, Shu darted into the air.
Wilhelmine’s hand paused midair. Her crimson eyes flickered slightly as if searching, her fingers brushing through empty space.
Then her hand moved again.
Shu quickly dodged—but the professor’s hand followed, as if she were certain of something.
Matios swallowed.
Can she… see her?
“This won’t do. I’ll need to borrow a strand of your hair.”
Shu immediately dived into Matios’s hair.
His ash-gray strands rustled softly, and his scalp tingled faintly.
If she stayed hidden there, even Wilhelmine wouldn’t casually reach in—or so Shu thought.
But Wilhelmine’s hand followed.
Her long fingers pushed straight into his hair.
“….”
His hair was completely messed up.
“Um…”
“Ah—”
Only then did Wilhelmine seem to realize what she was doing and flinched, quickly pulling her hand back.
Too late—his hair was already a disaster.
“…Cough. There was something… unusual floating around you. I had no other intention.”
“Ah… I see.”
Matios replied flatly as he fixed his hair.
Of course, he couldn’t exactly tell her there was a spirit.
Spirits were believed to have vanished long ago. If Shu’s existence became known, it would cause endless trouble.
“I’m serious. There was something—blue, furry, with wings… I swear it was there. …But perhaps I was mistaken. My apologies.”
Wilhelmine seemed oddly desperate to explain herself, perhaps thinking he didn’t believe her.
Even so, touching a student’s head like that wasn’t exactly proper etiquette.
Matios didn’t mind much. He was used to being patted and fussed over.
“It’s really fine. These things happen.”
When he responded calmly, Wilhelmine seemed relieved and stepped back.
Soon after, the class ended.
“Phew… Sometimes people like that exist.”
Shu emerged from his hair with a sigh of relief.
“So if you’re a genius, you can see stuff like that?”
“That’s not about talent. Her soul is just… abnormally sensitive.”
“…Guess we need to be more careful.”
Matios picked up his red cloak and slung it over his shoulders.
“Why are you putting on your coat?”
“Huh?”
Wilhelmine had approached again, expressionless.
Shu immediately hid inside his clothes.
Matios had been training every week, and though it hadn’t been long, Wilhelmine often watched and occasionally gave advice.
“Ah, I have plans today.”
He was meeting Yuri.
“…Plans.”
Wilhelmine fell silent for a moment.
For a brief second, she looked almost… disappointed.
“…I suppose it can’t be helped. But if you keep skipping like this, you might stop coming altogether. Try not to miss too often.”
“I understand.”
After bowing politely, Matios headed toward the café where he was supposed to meet Yuri.
When he arrived, he froze.
“…Long time no see, Moretti.”
“…Sword Saint.”
What is she doing here?
An elderly woman in white robes sat at the table, like a hermit who had wandered down from the mountains into the city.
Yuri, meanwhile, sat comfortably on her lap, sipping chocolate milk through a straw.
Her face was blank, but her satisfaction was obvious.
“Thank you for saving my daughter. As her mother, it is only right that I come personally to express my gratitude.”
The Sword Saint, Charlotte, gently lifted Yuri and placed her on a chair before standing and bowing.
Her bow was not light.
Matios quickly stood and returned the gesture.
“It was nothing. Just what I had to do.”
“You are humble.”
Charlotte smiled softly and sat back down, naturally lifting Yuri back onto her lap.
Yuri didn’t react, leaning against her chest as if it were the most natural place in the world.
“Is it good, Yuri?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad.”
Soon, two cups of chocolate milk were brought over.
Charlotte handed one to Yuri and one to Matios.
“Do you dislike chocolate milk?”
“Quite the opposite.”
It was his favorite.
He happily took a sip of the warm drink.
“Are you feeling better? I heard your condition was quite severe…”
“Ah, yes. It was.”
Just thinking about it made him uneasy.
He had gained overwhelming strength through the Great Spirit’s blessing—but his body couldn’t handle it.
Like a child trying to wield a massive steel sword.
His muscles burned.
It felt as though his body was melting from the inside.
Thankfully, it hadn’t literally melted—but even the “minor” damage had been excruciating.
‘If I had used my Black Star too… I’d be dead.’
At that moment—
Tap.
Charlotte placed a small bottle on the table.
“A late get-well gift.”
“…This is?”
“It’s an elixir made from the crushed heart of an Ironclad Tiger. Fresh, from one I hunted three months ago.”
…What?
Matios was speechless.
The Ironclad Tiger—a beast that ruled the northern mountains.
Massive as a hill.
Hide like steel.
Muscles like twisted iron.
A nightmare of the north.
And this—
was made from its heart.
“C-can I really take this?”
“If you don’t want it, I can take it back.”
She smiled teasingly.
Matios instantly grabbed her hand with both of his.
“I’ll gratefully accept it!”
An endgame-tier elixir… handed to him just like that.
It healed injuries, strengthened muscles, reinforced bones, and enhanced all senses.
An absurd boost.
He looked at her with genuine gratitude.
She smiled warmly, like a grandmother giving pocket money.
‘I never thought I’d meet her like this…’
Despite her gentle appearance, she was the Empire’s greatest swordsman.
Even the Emperor had failed to recruit her.
She had rejected titles, lands, everything—choosing instead to live in the north, hunting monsters.
A true legend.
And now she was here, in a simple café.
“We’re talking about the Black Moon Group.”
Charlotte spoke calmly.
“The ones who attacked Yuri and you.”
“…The Black Moon Group.”
He nodded as if hearing it for the first time.
“It’s only fair you know. Not knowing why you were targeted would be frustrating, wouldn’t it?”
“Why were they after Yuri?”
“Her potential.”
Charlotte gently stroked Yuri’s hair.
“I don’t have a biological child. No husband, no family.”
“Then…”
“Yes. Yuri is my adopted daughter. I found her while raiding one of their bases. It was… a miracle.”
Her eyes softened with unmistakable affection.
Yuri quietly drank her chocolate milk, gently fidgeting with Charlotte’s hand.
“I had never felt such an impulse before. I had no intention of raising a child. But when I saw her… everything changed.”
She kissed the top of Yuri’s head.
Then looked at Matios.
“You didn’t just save Yuri. You saved my life as well.”
“…That’s a bit much.”
“But it’s true. No matter how you feel, I am grateful. Yuri, you should say it too.”
Charlotte nudged her.
“Thank you.”
“…Say ‘thank you properly.’”
“Thank you.”
“Please understand. Yuri isn’t used to interacting with people yet.”
“I can tell.”
“If you ever need help, come to me. I will do whatever I can.”
A favor from the Sword Saint.
Something almost unimaginable.
He had already received the elixir—and now this.
It was overwhelming.
He thought for a moment.
Then spoke.
“In that case….”
The moment he said that—
Charlotte’s eyes widened.