I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

For now, everything was going smoothly.
That was Carlyle’s interim assessment as he kept a close eye on the room.

Up until the moment they entered the banquet hall, Gray’s boiling point had looked dangerously close—but it was still being managed steadily.
Of course, that stability had come at the cost of Carlyle grinding himself to the bone.
“Hero, if it’s not too much trouble—may I ask you for a dance?”

“My lady seems rather tired at the moment. I’m afraid she doesn’t have the time. My apologies.”
“…….”
The young noble, who had approached with a pleasant smile, was turned away on Gray’s behalf—prompting a glare at Carlyle as if to say, And who the hell do you think you are?

But Carlyle simply held a serene smile and met his gaze head-on.
“…What’s this servant trying to pull? Think you’re someone special?”
With a low grumble, the nobleman turned and walked off.

This was already the tenth time something like this had happened just today.
Well.
That tall noble probably had no idea that Carlyle had just saved his nose bone.

If he’d taken even one more step, Gray would’ve decked him across the face without a word.
Off in the distance, Carlyle could feel Lionel gazing at him with emotional eyes.
It was something Lionel normally would’ve done himself—but now Carlyle was the one preventing Gray from causing a scene. That probably explained the look.

‘…That guy’s been through some shit too, huh.’
To think he’d been doing this job—serving this tyrannical young lady—all this time. It stirred a bit of sympathy.
Lionel and Carlyle gave each other a small nod. The kind of eye contact only two men who’d survived the same battlefield could exchange…

“……”
Carlyle’s body suddenly jolted.
Gray had kicked the back of his knee from behind.
“…My lady, is something the matter?”

“I’m annoyed.”
“……”
“Don’t form weird bonds with my father.”

She’d been zoning out just ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) moments ago, blankly staring at the ceiling with dead eyes—and yet she picked that up immediately.
‘…Life, man.’
Not even Carlyle himself knew what kind of glory he was hoping to earn by putting up with all this.

Still, if Gray were to really commit her first murder here, that would be a disaster in itself.
Anyway.
Anyone trying to approach Gray mid-banquet would be intercepted. The fewer disturbances, the lower the chance of something exploding.

But among them, there were some people that even Carlyle couldn’t hope to stop.
“……”
He narrowed his eyes at the person currently speaking with Lionel.

A woman dressed in pitch-black clerical robes.
On the surface, she looked like a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties. But that was likely due to the divine power preserving her body—her actual age was said to be far greater.
Felix Gregory Valthheimer.

One of the Cardinals assisting the Pope of the Orthodox Church.
‘…I’ve heard of her.’
By the time Carlyle started his regression, she was already dead—along with Lionel. But her reputation was still well-known.

The Grey Cardinal.
Her cunning and sly nature were legendary even after death.
Number one person you don’t want to make your enemy.

That title never changed—even after the invasion of Hell wiped out half the continent.
He’d only seen her briefly from afar, but he could tell right away.
‘Hero.’

Mm.Mm.
‘That woman gives me the creeps.’
Iagree.I agree.

The Holy Sword’s voice came with a bitter laugh.
She was one of the powerful patrons who made it possible for me to receive the Holy Sword. In return, she’d sometimes ask me for favors.
‘If she was able to ask you for favors, then yeah… she’s not normal.’

When watching young Gray, it was hard to tell if she was even human or just a beast—so to imagine someone who had been able to leash her?
Not normal at all. To be honest, even as a child, I found her incredibly unnerving. Like she had a snake farm crawling around inside her.
“……”

Even now, I don’t fully understand what she was thinking back then. But she’s definitely not a bad person.
…If the Holy Sword was saying that, then yeah, she was probably a massive fucking threat.
‘How can you be so sure she’s not bad?’

When the Orthodox Church collapsed, she was one of the last to die—still protecting civilians to the end. Regardless of her slyness, she genuinely cared for the weak.
‘Hmm.’
That’s why she’s the Grey Cardinal. She pursued the purest, noblest goals using the darkest, dirtiest methods.

White and black make grey.
Now that he heard the origin of the name, it all made sense.
Carlyle gave a small snort and brushed back his hair.

Well, at least she wasn’t coming this way.
With a benevolent smile, she just kept chatting lightly with the Duke.
If that bomb stayed over there, he’d consider it a blessing—

“Oh my, Lady Chasefield?”
“……”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? You’ve been keeping out of sight lately.”

Gray, who had been sitting absentmindedly, twitched her brow.
“…Anastasia.”
“Is that how you greet an old friend?”

A noble lady with striking wavy blond hair smiled warmly.
“……”
Here it is. The bomb.

***
Lady Anastasia, daughter of a Marquis.
According to Gray, she had once trained alongside her in the sword.

Her skills were… tolerable. But she was narrow-minded and twisted in temperament.
Having the Hero as her peer must’ve been a cruel fate—enough to twist her personality into a monster of inferiority.
Thanks to that, she was also the target of Gray’s first murder.

“…Lady Anastasia. My lady is currently—”
And before Carlyle could even step in to interrupt, Anastasia had already grabbed a wine glass and splashed it in Gray’s face.
“……”

“……”
A cold silence fell over the room like a bucket of ice water.
“How shameless of you to show your face at this banquet. Are you so proud of stealing the Holy Sword by dishonorable means?”

“……”
“You walk around dragging every foul rumor behind you, and you still have the gall to appear in public?”
…Yeah.

Anyone would call that a declaration of war.
Especially when the target was a wild brat who had no issue folding people in half.
Gray, her face drenched in wine, slowly closed her eyes.

And in the next moment, the eyes she opened…
Were filled with a murderous aura that made Carlyle’s spine freeze.
Her hand moved like lightning toward the Holy Sword she always carried.

“—My lady.”
That’s why—
If Carlyle hadn’t spoken up at that exact moment—

“It’s a lovely evening. And the Duke is nearby as well.”
“……”
“Just for now… please reconsider. For his sake. For my sake.”

Her hand stopped, just for a moment.
“……”
Gray exhaled slowly, then glanced sideways at Anastasia.

Then, once again—her hand moved like lightning.
But this time, it wasn’t the blade of the Holy Sword she used.
It was her fist.
“—!”

Anastasia’s body bent backward like a broken puppet.
“That was a warning.”
Came Gray’s flat, emotionless voice, as her opponent collapsed without even a gasp.

“Don’t speak to me again. Next time, there won’t be a warning.”
“……”
Her tone was ice-cold.

But Carlyle—and even Lionel—stood there slack-jawed.
Holy shit.
Did she… just let someone go?

‘Hero.’
…What.
‘I think I’m actually going to cry right now.’

Is this what a father feels when he watches his daughter grow?
The actual father, Lionel, looked too stunned to feel anything.
“……”

Meanwhile, Anastasia lay collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath as she glared up at Gray.
‘…Thank god.’
Carlyle was relieved watching the scene.

But she was terrified.
With that single punch, she had realized the overwhelming difference in power between them.
It should’ve been clear she’d back off quietly now…
“Are you holding back because your father’s watching? How pathetic.”

…Or not.
‘What the hell is wrong with her?’
He’d spent the whole day twisting this event away from disaster—and now she was pouring oil back onto the fire and diving in herself.

Clearly scared, she spat curses at Gray like a wounded beast—
As if she had to.
“You were born different from us. You think you understand ‘family’? That’s a joke. You look down on everyone around you! Don’t act like ‘family’ makes it different—!”
“……”

“Do you really think the Duke will love you forever? Even if he doesn’t realize it now, he’ll never keep protecting a monster and a freak like you—!”
Gray’s face twitched.
This was something different from the earlier flash of anger.

A deep fury rising from the bottom of her gut.
Because she couldn’t deny there was a grain of truth in those words.
Murderous intent welled up in her face again. Her hand began slowly reaching for her sword.
“……”

At this rate, everything Carlyle had worked to suppress was about to unravel completely.
But as he watched—Carlyle was thinking something very different.
Something’s wrong.

He’d sensed it from earlier.
Even after Gray had already let her go once, and even with that suffocating pressure bearing down, this girl still forced herself to provoke her again.
As if she had no other choice.

“—Oops, slipped!”
“……?”
Gray, who had been reaching for her sword again, widened her eyes as she looked at Carlyle.

He’d exaggerated a clumsy fall—clearly intentional—and landed right on top of Anastasia.
Anyone watching would have reacted the same way.
With a choking wheeze, Carlyle flopped across Anastasia and whispered into her ear.

“Don’t do it, Lady Anastasia.”
“……!”
Anastasia’s face froze instantly.

“Wh-what… what the hell are you—”
“If you want to live, listen to me. I won’t say it twice.”
“……”

“I don’t know what they promised you, or what they’re using to force your hand. But if you want a future, walk away. You’ll die if this continues. The young lady doesn’t hesitate when she kills.”
“……”
Anastasia’s breath hitched.
Her trembling eyes said everything.

“I’ll count to three. Stand up naturally. And apologize.”
With that, Carlyle stood, lifting Anastasia with him.
“I’m so sorry, my lady! I was being clumsy and—!”

“N-no, it’s fine…”
Anastasia trembled as she spoke.
“I—I’m so sorry. Lady Chasefield, I—I lost my mind for a moment. It was terribly rude of me—”

“Get lost.”
Gray turned her head sharply, not even bothering to properly engage.
…Carlyle saw her hand fall away from the sword and quietly exhaled in relief.

Then, watching Anastasia stumble out of the banquet hall as if fleeing for her life, he muttered toward the Holy Sword.
‘Hero.’
I was thinking the same thing.

‘……’
I didn’t realize it back then… but now it’s obvious. She was provoking me on purpose. She wanted me to hurt her.
As if—

Someone had sent her here, just to drag Gray into a scandal.
It didn’t take long to figure out who.
Anastasia’s pale, terrified eyes had been locked on only one person.
“……”

Cardinal Felix was still watching them with that same gentle smile.
As if nothing had happened.
‘Hero.’

Mm.
‘That woman seriously gives me the creeps.’
Once again—I completely agree.

***
On the way out of the banquet hall.
Silence filled the carriage.

Gray sat quietly, staring out the window.
Her expression was unreadable—but it was clear her thoughts were tangled.
“……My lady, let me help clean you up.”
He held out a towel. She took it without a word, rubbing her face before speaking.

“Hey.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“That thing you did at the end. Stopping her. Good job.”

“……”
She heard that?
“If not for you, I would’ve killed her there. You did me a favor.”

“…Sorry?”
“I’m glad I didn’t make a mess in front of Father. Thanks to you.”
“……Sorry?”

“……I’m saying thank you.”
“………Excuse me?”
“Die.”

“Thank you, my lady. I’m so honored I may have blacked out just now from the sacredness of hearing those words—”
“Don’t spew bullshit.”
Gray let out a sigh as she casually wiped the rest of her face.

“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“Remember when we first met, and you said it would be my loss if I threw you away?”

“I did say that.”
“I really felt that today. You were right.”
“I’m not the kind of person who says things I don’t mean.”

“So I thought about it for a while. I just came to a decision.”
Gray said it with complete calm.
“Starting today, you’re staying in my room.”

“……”
“If we’re going to get used to it eventually, might as well start now.”
Did she just say what I think she said?

***
“Duke Chasefield.”
“Yes?”

“What was the name of that young man? The one acting like a servant.”
“……Carlyle Belfast. I’m thinking of assigning him as a companion to my daughter.”
“Oh my.”

“May I ask what prompted the question…?”
“Hmm—who knows?”
“……”

“He just seems like an amusing young man.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. I’d very much like to see him again.”

***
[System Message]
▶ Trait [Hero’s Companion] is activating.
▶ The “Rehabilitation List” has been partially updated!

[ ★ Violence 100% → 95% ]
▶ Reward granted!
▶ Open the Trait Tab to check it!
[System Message]

▶ You’ve successfully navigated a “Major Event”!
▶ Trust has increased significantly.
[ ★ Trust 5.1% → 40% ]
▶ Reward granted!
▶ Open the Trait Tab to check it!
▶ Your relationship with the Hero has greatly changed.
▶ This will heavily influence future events.
▶ The Hero no longer sees you as a threat.
▶ The Hero now wants to take you to the Academy!

[System Message]
▶ “The Grey Cardinal” has taken an interest in you.
▶ Consider adding her to your “Instructor Candidates” list!