I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

The moment he heard those words, a few questions immediately popped into his head.
First and foremost, what he had to ask was:
“What kind of work do you mean, exactly?”

“Something related to Gray.”
“⋯⋯.”
Ah.

Hearing that, all of his questions were cleared up in an instant.
Yeah, it was about saving someone.
Not just anyone—something that concerned the entirety of humankind.

“You sure ask for something expensive.”
No doubt about it.
The kind of work that would make someone say they’re willing to give up their entire self.

“But I feel like we’ve had this conversation before. About the young lady’s—”
“I’m not trying to involve Gray. I’m talking to you.”
“⋯⋯You mean the ‘support of love’ thing you mentioned last time?”

“It’s the complete opposite.”
Felix let out a faint chuckle as he spoke.
“Stop what you’re doing with Gray.”

“⋯⋯.”
“I don’t know if you’re just trying to get close to her, or if you like her, or if you’re hoping for something more… but if you keep going, something bad is going to happen.”
He continued, saying there were two reasons.
The first was that it would make Gray stray from her ‘intended purpose.’

Felix had already seen her weakness inside the cave.
He had witnessed a moment where the Hero—who was supposed to cut down anyone without hesitation—hesitated, her blade halting.
“You tried hard to cover it up, but honestly, it was way too obvious.”

So he noticed.
Well, it’s not like Carlyle had expected to get away with it undetected.
“⋯⋯I’m sorry, but… are you saying you see the young lady as a kind of weapon?”

“Yes.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Because that’s the most efficient. That’s the whole reason I sponsored her in the first place—because I figured she’d be best at it.”

The Hero has to remain a tool.
Great power comes with great responsibility.
Power capable of saving many must be used solely for the purpose of saving many.

The moment personal emotions are involved, unnecessary sacrifices follow. Power that should be used efficiently becomes muddled.
“Someone shouldering that much has to move rationally, like a machine. And every time that wasn’t the case…”
Felix paused for a moment.

“…countless people died because of my mistakes.”
It was a sentence written in blood, tears, and regret.
A truth forged from experience.

And to be honest—
Carlyle couldn’t deny it either.
Back in the previous round, he’d sent everyone to their deaths based on the knowledge he had.

And every time his emotions got involved, unnecessary losses followed.
⋯⋯That much was definitely true.
“What’s the second reason?”

“It’s for your sake.”
“Sorry?”
“The closer you get to Gray, the more danger you’re in.”

⋯⋯That was something Carlyle had never once considered.
“Every single Hero throughout history was single and had no family. Do you know why?”
Carlyle went silent for a moment.

But if you thought about it even a little, the answer was obvious.
“…Because they’d become targets.”
“They’d become a weakness. Always.”

The moment you hold something dear and keep it close—
It brings the risk of loss. That fear becomes danger.
And if your enemy is a great evil that uses any means necessary to bring you down—

“You’ll be in danger, Carlyle Belfast. That’s why you need to stop getting closer to Gray.”
“⋯⋯.”
“…I know I’m basically trying to force this on you. That’s why—”

I’ll give you everything.
Just like I said earlier.
“…You’re really paying a high price.”

“Because I’m serious.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I respect you, Carlyle Belfast. I know you’re not getting close to Gray because of some hidden motive. So within the limits of what I can do—I’ll give you anything.”

Within the full extent of what the Gray Cardinal can offer—he would grant his request.
So please, stop being close to the one who carries the burden of protecting all humanity.
It would be better for both Gray and Carlyle.

It was a reasonable argument.
So reasonable that Carlyle couldn’t bring himself to say it was wrong.
But even so—

“Cardinal.”
“Speak.”
“I refuse.”

He declined.
Just like before.
“…This time, though, I laid everything bare. I made this proposal for Gray’s sake—and yours.”

“I know. But I still don’t like it.”
“Can I ask why?”
“There are two reasons.”

Felix let out a soft laugh.
He looked like he’d just been countered.
“And the first?”

“The young lady shouldn’t be a tool. Even if that would be the ‘right’ thing.”
“Why?”
“Because it doesn’t work.”

“⋯⋯.”
“If you ask how I know that, I can’t give you an answer. I just do. I know it.”
Since the other side had shown a bit of sincerity—he ought to respond in kind.

Even if Felix’s approach was the correct one from a practical and theoretical standpoint—
The “evil” they would be facing going forward was anything but normal.
Carlyle had already seen what kind of future awaited if Gray was raised like that.

If the previous method failed, shouldn’t they try something new?
Felix listened in silence for a while, then slowly nodded.
“…And the second?”

Carlyle let out a sigh.
“I don’t like you, Cardinal.”
“⋯⋯.”

“And I get it—you have ideals. But I hate the way you go about it.”
He had to keep this in mind.
This man was the Gray Cardinal.

Someone who pursued pure white ideals using pitch-black methods.
Carlyle had seen the white part—at least for today, there hadn’t been any lies.
But the black part? That still hadn’t been shown.

“Elena Lindel Anastasia. Do you know who that is?”
“⋯⋯Lady Anastasia, daughter of the Marquis?”
And Carlyle remembered that part clearly.

“Back then, at the imperial banquet. You were trying to have her harmed somehow, weren’t you?”
“I can explain that. She had a reason to be in that situation.”
“I’m sure she did. You’re way smarter than I am.”

There were probably a lot of reasons. Maybe even ones Carlyle could never come up with.
It might be that if Elena had been cut down by Gray that day, it could’ve saved countless others.
The man before him was someone who had long since mastered the art of saving many through such actions.

But still.
“Senior Elena is a good person.”
The Elena Carlyle had met was just a goofy, warm-hearted senior.

She liked to show off because she didn’t want to be looked down on, but in the end, she was the type who’d panic and help everyone who asked.
She was kind.
The kind of person you wanted to see happy.

“Maybe to you, she’s someone ‘worth sacrificing.’”
But he couldn’t agree with that method.
Call him stupid, call him naïve—

But after going through countless regressions—
He knew exactly what kind of future came from seeing people’s lives as mere numbers.
After all the promises, memories, and regrets he had trampled to reach this point—

At least for this final round, he couldn’t walk alongside someone like that.
“So no matter what you ask of me, Cardinal—I’ll refuse. Because I can’t know if it’ll lead to someone else’s blood.”
If he took his eyes off Gray now, under Felix’s guidance she’d become the exact same person as in the previous round.

And that—he’d rather die than see it again.
“⋯⋯.”
Felix listened quietly, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“You didn’t even ask about the third reason.”
“Huh?”
“Are you okay with it?”

If he stays by the Hero’s side, he too will be put in danger.
A monstrous evil that even the Hero can’t withstand will come for his life.
Eventually, even Gray won’t be able to protect him.

That’s what Felix meant to ask.
But—
“The exact opposite.”

Carlyle had a very clear answer to that question.
“If not me, then who the hell is going to protect her?”
Don’t get it twisted.

Sure, once she’s grown, Gray will be the one protecting him.
But right now—he’s the one protecting her.
If not him, then who else could possibly take on the one and only task of raising the Hero?

***
“How was the secret rendezvous?”
Shiona, sitting in the driver’s seat of the magitek motorwagen, grinned as she asked Felix.

“It’s been a while since Your Eminence took this much interest in someone, hasn’t it?”
“Ugh, I’m exhausted. Don’t talk to me.”
“Mmh, but I’m just dying to know.”

Shiona leaned her head back toward Felix, who was climbing into the rear seat.
“It’s been a long time since you went out to personally scout someone, hasn’t it?”
“If you can call it ‘scouting.’ I just wanted to observe him up close.”

To see what kind of person he was.
Felix’s method of understanding people was like reading a book.
What they were thinking, why they said certain things, what desires they harbored—she could read all of it as if the words were written right in front of her.

She was born for this kind of observation.
The accuracy of it was proven by her accomplishments—an ordinary human who had climbed to the position of Cardinal in the Orthodox Church.
“So what were your observations?”

When it came to that, the guy called Carlyle Belfast—
“…he’s a library.”
If a single human being were a book,

That guy was a library.
“Sorry?”
“A person’s presence is like a trajectory. It’s built from the accumulation of all their past experiences.”

And yet, that Carlyle guy—
His speech, his aura, the way he thought, the ideals he pursued, every part of him—
It wasn’t something that came from a single life.

Someone who had only lived one life simply couldn’t have amassed that much experience.
“He’s vast. And deep.”
Especially—

“When it comes to Gray, it feels like he knows things even I don’t.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Is he really a student? Not some long-lived race disguising himself as human?”

“There’s no way,” Shiona replied with a small laugh.
“Right. If he was, there’s no way you wouldn’t know.”
If he were something that transcended human limitations, Shiona Libelle would have sensed it.

⋯⋯There’s no way a fellow of the same kind wouldn’t recognize one of their own.
Felix let out a yawn.
“Still, it would’ve been nice if he’d listened to me.”

Even if she’d failed to recruit him—
He was still a fascinating one.
“You went into it acting like you wouldn’t care even if it failed, and now you’re saying that?”

“I was half serious, you know? That’s why I even exposed my weaknesses.”
Shiona’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Those eyes, utterly devoid of emotion.

The words that followed were equally indifferent.
“…Are you thinking of killing that student?”
“What?”

“Usually, the ones who know your weaknesses end up dead, don’t they?”
“I’m not killing him. I’m not. He seemed like a good kid. That’s why I told him.”
Carlyle was the kind of person who inspired trust.

The kind of person who would never use someone’s weakness for blackmail or coercion.
“…That just sounds like ‘if he does, he dies,’ to me.”
“Shut up.”

She snapped back, but then opened the locket she had shown Carlyle earlier.
Inside was a familiar face.
And somehow—

In the way he acted, in the way he spoke—he was very similar.
Even his appearance.
Yes. He looked alike.

Almost to an uncanny degree.
“Shiona.”
“Yes?”

“You’re investigating that kid, aren’t you?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Ay—there’s no fooling Your Eminence, huh?”
Shiona replied shamelessly, and Felix chuckled as she continued.
“—Look into the name ‘Valthheimer.’ There’s definitely something there.”

Felix closed her eyes.
From long ago—
From a memory so distant it had collected dust in the corner of her mind—

One voice resurfaced.
The reason she was here now.
A sentence etched deep into her soul.

—Felix. Make the weak happy.
—You were born for that.
Of course.
Even now, and forever forward—

She would keep fighting for that purpose.
***
[System Message]

▶ Target ‘Felix’ has been added to your Instructor list.
▶ The trait /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ [Cardinal’s Ideal Type] has been unlocked!
▶ Develop the trait to gain rewards!
[Specialty Info]

You bear a striking resemblance to the person who once gave the Cardinal her reason to fight for ordinary people.

Perhaps you’re even more deeply connected than the Cardinal realizes.
But even someone who fights for a good cause can have methods that are too extreme.
Help the Cardinal find a better balance between her ideals and her methods!

▶ [Fated Trait] has been unlocked.
▶ The [Fated Trait] is not yet available, but it will unlock unconditionally in the future.
▶ Use the Cardinal’s feelings toward you to develop this trait!
[ ♠ Regret 0% ]
[ ♠ Guilt 0% ]
[ ♠ Obsession 0% ]
***

“…Hero.”
[What is it.]
“I think I’m going to be seeing the Cardinal a lot more from now on.”

[⋯⋯.]
Like it or not, once that kind of system window pops up, it’s not like there’s any real choice in the matter.
The Holy Sword, who had been silent in what felt like dumbfounded disbelief, gave a theatrical cough before speaking.

[Any guesses what this could mean?]
“⋯⋯No, not really.”
This was, after all, the first time Carlyle had ever met Cardinal Felix in this round.

At least from what he could remember, there wasn’t a single instance in the past that connected him with her “past.”
‘Even if she says I look like someone…’
He didn’t even know who that was.

As he stared blankly at the system window, the Holy Sword’s voice came up again, tilting as if in curiosity.
[But is that really a bad thing?]
“Sorry?”

[If you’re unsure, maybe start by asking: is this a good thing or a bad thing?]
“⋯⋯.”
Hrm.

If he had to choose—
“It’s… probably a good thing?”
[Then there you go.]

“[Good is good enough.]”
Both Carlyle and the Holy Sword said it at the same time—and then both let out a dry laugh.
Well, that was that.

There was no point burning energy over something that had no clear answer right now.
It was probably better to keep a clear head and deal with things as they came.
Letting out a long, tired yawn, Carlyle hugged the Holy Sword to his chest and collapsed onto the bed.

“⋯⋯Ah, today really wore me out. I can’t sleep in tomorrow.”
[You don’t have any scheduled classes tomorrow anyway, do you?]
“Still, the Lady’s probably going to come and stir up chaos again.”

[By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.]
“Yeah?”
[Don’t you have to study?]

“⋯⋯.”
Wait, what?
Why hit him with something so mundane and realistic all of a sudden?

[It’s not all that mundane anymore, I’d say.]
“What do you mean?”
[If I’m remembering correctly, the regular assessment is coming up soon.]

“⋯⋯.”
[And if you fail, you’re expelled. This is Yoram, the top academy, after all.]
“⋯⋯.”

[⋯⋯.]
Oh. Right.
He had completely blacked that out of his mind.

“⋯⋯But like… I’m literally out here breaking my back to save the world, shouldn’t I be exempt from minor things like this?”
[Then go say that to the version of me in this timeline.]
“⋯⋯.”

[What do you think would happen if you got a low score and gave people an excuse to attack you for it?]
“⋯⋯.”
[And what if you actually got expelled? What then?]

No room to argue.
The drowsiness that had been slowly creeping in fled in an instant. Carlyle shot up in bed and rushed to check the calendar.
Let’s see—how much time is left before the exam…

“Hero.”
[Hm?]
“Is there any way to cheat on the exam using the Holy Sword’s power?”

[⋯⋯.]
One week until the exam.
Number of classes attended: zero.

Total study time: 0 minutes, 0 seconds.
Carlyle Belfast — enters a state of absolute academic crisis!