I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Faced with Baobhan Sith's sharp gaze, Nanami Kento and Haibara wisely held their tongues.

While explaining about Tristan earlier, Nanami had deliberately left out a famous story—the one where Tristan's words, "The king does not understand the hearts of his people," indirectly led to the downfall of the Knights of the Round Table.

But then, an inkling surfaced in Nanami's mind: he'd heard the name "Tristan" before, and not from legends—wasn't there a real figure with that name?

…!

Could it be that Tristan—the one who'd slaughtered countless curse users—is actually her?

If Gojo Satoru was the most powerful among the jujutsu sorcerers, then Tristan held that title among curse users.

However, despite being a curse user, Tristan hadn't terrorized innocents, disrupted society, or hunted down jujutsu sorcerers. Instead, she'd been responsible for eradicating many of her fellow curse users.

Because Gojo Satoru had both the Six Eyes and the Limitless Cursed Technique, most curse users had gone into hiding, leaving the jujutsu sorcerers scrambling for ways to eliminate the remaining threats.

Then, Tristan appeared.

For the curse users, who had already been pushed to their limits by Gojo Satoru's presence, her arrival was like a spark in a powder keg. Cornered rabbits bite back, after all—and the curse users who'd survived the jujutsu world's relentless pursuit were proud, powerful, and tenacious.

Eventually, a coalition of curse users organized an assault on Tristan.

The jujutsu community caught wind of this plan but decided to let the curse users deal with her, seeing it as a case of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Then the news came: Tristan had annihilated every single curse user who came for her, leaving not a single one alive.

Most people in the jujutsu world dismissed the story as mere rumor, imagining it as an attempt by curse users to invent a figure who could rival Gojo Satoru—a bogeyman to keep the jujutsu community on edge.

They reasoned that a figure like Gojo only appeared once in a millennium. Surely, there couldn't be another just as powerful in the same era.

After that, news of Tristan dwindled until she faded from public attention altogether, making the higher-ups even more certain that her existence was a fabrication or that, if she had existed, she must've been gravely injured and died in battle.

As time passed, Gojo Satoru exceeded all expectations, earning the title of the "Strongest of the Modern Era," while Tristan's name became little more than a ghost story remembered only in underground circles.

"You look like you've finally figured out who I am."

Nanami lifted his gaze and met Baobhan Sith's amused gray eyes.

"No, this makes sense." Nanami pinched the bridge of his nose, regaining his composure. "Considering you're someone who can defeat even Mr. Gojo, it would be unusual if there were no record of you."

Even Nanami was shocked; to think that the legendary "Gojo Satoru of the curse users" actually existed—and that she was a young girl.

Baobhan Sith seemed roughly the same age as him, perhaps even younger. Just how old had she been when she singlehandedly annihilated dozens of curse users?

The more Nanami pondered it, the more overwhelming it seemed, and he rubbed his temples with a sigh.

"The Star Religious Group went all-out trying to capture the Star Plasma Vessel if even you got involved."

It's not like I'm here for a bounty; this is the story's opening arc—I couldn't just skip it.

Though admittedly, the Star Religious Group had been willing to spend a pretty penny.

"That's nonsense! It's not as if Lady Tristan… er, I mean Miss Tristan, was out hunting the Star Plasma Vessel on behalf of the Star Religious Group!" Haibara interjected, struggling to keep up with the conversation. "I heard from Geto Senpai that Miss Tristan acted to protect the Star Plasma Vessel!"

"But Riko Amanai was the Star Plasma Vessel chosen by Master Tengen." Nanami's voice held no discernible emotion. "If Master Tengen can't merge with the vessel, the stability of this country could be at risk."

Hearing this, Baobhan Sith's gaze hardened.

"So… you too? You think Riko Amanai should be merged with this Tengen, that her very existence was only meant to be sacrificed on this predetermined date?"

"No, I believe it's a grievous thing, which is why I want to understand your perspective."

Nanami's gaze reflected Baobhan Sith's face, and though he feared angering her, after a moment's hesitation, he asked his question.

"When you decided to save Riko Amanai, did you ever worry about this country? Did you fear that Master Tengen's technique might fail and bring disaster here?"

The atmosphere grew heavy.

It felt as if the air had gained weight, making each breath harder to take.

Fortunately, Nanami and Haibara had already set up a barrier around them; otherwise, the other patrons in the café might have been crushed by the sheer pressure.

"Hmph! Here I thought you were going to ask something interesting." Baobhan Sith sneered, as if laughing at their naivety. "A foolish question! Why should I care what happens to this country? Let me be clear—I never once feared that this nation would suffer a disaster because of my actions."

Please. In the original story, Riko Amanai was killed, and Master Tengen's technique was still stable. He held things together until the main plot began, didn't he?

Why should I care?

Seeing the shock and wariness in their eyes, Baobhan Sith found the whole situation amusing.

"Even though Master Tengen failed to merge with Riko Amanai, nothing happened to this country. Has anyone ever explained why?"

"…Recently, Special Grade sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo mentioned that Master Tengen had prepared a backup vessel in case the merger with Riko Amanai failed, which is why a disaster was averted."

Baobhan Sith took the last bite of her parfait, her gaze downcast as she spoke.

"That's a lie."

"...!"

Ignoring their stunned faces, she continued, expressionless, "Even without merging with the vessel, Tengen can still slow his aging by drawing on the power of the barriers around him. There's no need to sacrifice a young girl's future!"

Baobhan Sith pointed her spoon at the pair across the table, her voice cold.

"So, whether it's the Star Religious Group or your precious Tengen, I don't see either of them as anything worth respecting."

"If you're wondering whether I'll feel guilty about what I've done, then you're bound to be disappointed. This whole situation was flawed from the start."

Nanami stared into Baobhan Sith's eyes for a long moment before a soft smile broke across his face.

"Maybe so… but I think I've already found the answers I was looking for."

"Heh, is that right?"