Chapter 221 - Four Swords (2)

The memory of the enchanted sword shattering in the past flashed through my mind.

Startled, I kicked off the blanket and immediately ran over.

As I grabbed the sapling, it returned to its wooden sword form as if nothing had happened.

I checked the condition of the magic sword. Fortunately, there were no cracks or other abnormalities visible.

Trisha quietly came to my side and looked on with me.

"What's this new one?"

"A magic sword I happened to acquire."

"Why are they fighting?"

"I wish I knew."

The magic sword faintly flickered with a pale blue light, as if groaning in pain. Its fierce appearance from yesterday was gone, leaving only a pitiful sight.

"Can I touch it too?"

"No, it's too dangerous. Stay here."

It was fortunate the magic sword was sturdy; otherwise, I might have had to part with it without even using it, like the enchanted sword.

Why is this wooden sword acting like this? Does it just absorb anything with magic in it? It's strange that this magic sword, which seems to have quite a temperament, is submitting so easily.

I took only the wooden sword and went outside the dormitory. I came down to the foggy front yard and stuck the wooden sword into the ground.

Trisha peeked out from the front door to watch.

"What are you doing?"

"Stay there."

Swish swish swish—

The fog gradually began to settle low around me. Soon after, the magic sword appeared in my right hand with a dazzling radiance.

I stuck the magic sword and wooden sword close together and went back up the dormitory stairs.

Trisha showed interest and shouted, "I want to touch that!"

"Absolutely not. If you touch it wrong, you'll become an idiot."

Although there was a high possibility that Trisha's terrifying mana wouldn't be a problem, as I had witnessed before, I still wanted to be careful.

"What's an idiot?"

"..."

I pushed Trisha inside and closed the door. Trisha banged on the door and shouted, "No! I know! I was just joking!"

I ignored her for a moment and kept watching the wooden sword and magic sword. And not long after, a strange sight unfolded.

The wooden sword transformed into a sapling form and began to move, using its stem to prop itself up on the ground. It seemed to be moving as if avoiding the magic sword next to it.

After distancing itself from the magic sword, it returned to its wooden sword form.

"Huh."

What did I just see?

Trisha opened the door again and poked her head out.

"What is it, what is it? What are you trying to do?"

"Look over there."

"Huh? Did you move the sapling sword?"

"No, it moved on its own."

If the wooden sword was merely a plant that absorbed all magical things, it would have tried to absorb the magic from that magic sword too.

The fact that it distinguished what was harmful to itself and moved voluntarily... was quite a shocking sight. It meant that it wasn't just a one-dimensional tool reacting to magical stimuli, but moving with its own will.

"I guess it only bullies the weak ones. I thought so. I like the Firefly Sword best because it's the most reliable. I don't like the wooden sword or the new sword you brought."

"A sword is just a sword."

Moreover, neither this magic sword nor that magic sword was an easy opponent.

"That wooden sword, I really hate it."

"How do you know that?"

"A woman's intuition!"

"..."

"Where's that wooden sword from?"

"I don't know either."

"You idiot. You don't know anything."

Now I want to know too. What exactly is its identity? Who should I ask to find out?

I now understood clearly why the previous owner disposed of the wooden sword without receiving anything in return. While it was an attachment and useful in many ways for me, for others, it must have been a troublemaker that only devoured mana.

***

In the end, I kept the wooden sword and the newly arrived sword completely isolated from each other.

After that, I prepared breakfast for Trisha and left for my first class.

"See you later!"

Trisha, saying she had no morning classes, waved goodbye with just her face peeking out from the door.

"Ah, Damian!"

As I was leaving, Trisha called out to me. Then she came down the entrance stairs barefoot and in her pajamas to hand me a note.

"I almost forgot. The librarian who moved you yesterday asked me to give you this."

"Thanks."

"Have lunch with me later!"

Then Trisha ran back to the dormitory.

The contents of the note were brief.

[After finishing your daily routine, bring your sword and come to the grave in the Forbidden Forest.]

Although it didn't say who wrote it, I had a feeling I knew who the author was. There was no one else who would call for me besides the old professor I met yesterday.

Seeing that I was asked to bring the sword, it was probably a lesson. I was actually a bit excited because it felt like I might learn something proper.

As I came out of the labyrinth, another friend greeted me.

Luna, standing in front of the Guardian Tree, waved at me.

"Luna?"

"Good... morning."

She naturally joined me and walked alongside me.

"Were you waiting for me?"

"Yes."

"Do you have something to say?"

"No... I just wanted to walk to class together."

Actually, it didn’t take that long to move from the Guardian Tree to the campus. If there wasn't any specific business, there was no reason to come all the way here to accompany me.

Well, girls probably had different ways of hanging out with friends, so I didn't dig into it.

Suddenly remembering yesterday's events, I asked her, "Yesterday, did you know everything? About Cecil... and the magic sword hunter?"

She shook her head.

"Not to that extent... I just saw a future where Damian was safe... and Cecil was safe."

"...Still, your advice was helpful. I'll ask for it often in the future too."

Luna bowed her head deeply.

"Now the frequency is decreasing... and the accuracy is falling..."

"I'm curious. Do you see it like a vision or something?"

"Yes. It's very blurry. It only shows things related to me, so it won't be much help."

"...I see. Ah, Luna, what class do you have? I'll walk you there."

Then Luna looked at me and shook her head with a shy smile.

"No... You must still be uncomfortable, so I'll walk you to the Art Club."

"...Huh?"

"Our Damian... should attend class well and not stray off the path."

Luna grabbed my sleeve and led me, taking the lead.

"..."

Luna's attitude was strangely like a teacher taking care of a child. I wondered if there had been some change in her mindset. 

Why is she acting like this?

Luna really did escort me to the Art Club greenhouse and then left, waving goodbye.

As I entered the greenhouse and sat down in front of my easel again, only then did I truly feel that my daily life had returned.

In a corner of the empty greenhouse, Lilith was watering flowers when she saw me and awkwardly waved her hand slightly in greeting.

"..."

My friends were increasing one by one. As much as I took care of others, others who took care of me were also gradually increasing.

Lilith, seeming to have something to say to me, slowly began to approach.

But suddenly, someone roughly kicked open the greenhouse door and entered. Lilith was startled and quickly turned around.

"Hey, First-year!"

"First-year, come here!"

The Art Club executives, Haley and Zenia, barged in fiercely like some slum thugs.

Zenia approached me roughly, and Haley approached Lilith in the same manner.

Zenia suddenly hugged my back with both arms.

"...?"

"Oh, my baby!"

Then she started lifting me up as if playing with a child. But because she was short and lacked strength, she couldn't lift me.

Haley, being relatively tall and from the Combat Department, easily picked up Lilith and spun her around.

"Eek!"

"Where did these little blessings roll in from!"

Zenia struggled alone but eventually gave up.

"Ah, why are you so heavy? I'll just pinch your cheeks."

"..."

While Zenia was grappling with my collar, Haley was already planting a deep kiss on Lilith's cheek.

"Oh, so cute, so cute!"

"Eeeek..."

Lilith, seemingly embarrassed, covered her face and made a half-crying sound.

"Senior, did something good happen?"

"No, cheek, cheek... Let me pinch them."

And Haley, carrying Lilith, approached me and said, "We're going to Claridium!"

I was curious about what the final result would be, but it turned out the Art Club was going.

"I heard the first-year beat up all those old farts from the Drama Club?"

"Yes, somehow we beat the Drama Club. What happened with the seniors?"

The first and second-years and the third and fourth-years carried out their missions separately. As I remember, I knew that the special club with the highest combined score of the two would win.

"Us? We crushed them all too. All the 4th years were too busy to participate in the mission. Thanks to that, it was our world. I'm happy we won, but I'm even happier to see those pig-years with long faces! Kyaa!"

Haley grabbed Lilith's arms and jumped up and down as if dancing. At times like this, she wasn’t a senior but just a country girl.

Zenia was still tugging at my clothes and muttering to herself, "Cheek... cheek..."

Haley handed me an official document from Eternia.

"The first-year did something really big."

Checking the document, it contained a different story from what I had directly experienced.

While it issued a stern warning for violating the return order, there was no separate disciplinary action. It stated that the Art Club received the highest score for uncovering the truth behind the disappearance cases in the Sintagma region and submitting a notebook containing the criminal's evil plans.

I wonder what Gale and Victor thought of this. They must have issued such a document because everything had been agreed upon internally. Considering their personalities, I didn't think they would raise any objections.

However, I felt uneasy about receiving the reward alone. I thought both Victor and Gale deserved to be rewarded.

And I didn’t really want to go to this Claridium or whatever it was.

I just want to learn something quickly from the new visiting professor. If I went far away, wouldn't I miss the opportunity to learn for that period?

After receiving the document back, Haley said, "Now, you did well, so a kiss!"

Haley grabbed me and suddenly kissed me on the cheek. I was caught completely off guard.

"...!"

Zenia shouted, "If you were going to do this, why did we even play rock-paper-scissors?"

***

Cecil had been waiting in front of the fountain in the Living Quarters since early morning.

With her hands behind her back, holding an invitation to the artists' gathering, she kept pacing in the same spot.

Whenever someone came out of Witdruff Hall, she would turn her head to check once.

When someone different from her expectation passed by, Cecil would sigh deeply.

"When will he come out..."

The number of students leaving the dormitory for morning classes gradually increased, but the person Cecil was waiting for never appeared.

"Damian... is he still unwell?"

Then she muttered to herself, biting her lip, "He always passed through this area, could he be avoiding me... No, no, the mood was good then... That can't be..."

After thinking various thoughts to herself and getting tired, she finally sat on the edge of the fountain and sighed.

"Haa."

Then she bowed her head deeply and spoke softly to herself, "I miss you..."