I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

A regressor who has repeated countless deaths would probably find it harder to exist than to fear anything.

His teeth chattered. A chill swept through his entire body. His muscles were rigid, and the world flashed in the bleak shades of terror...
“…So, you didn’t actually intend to go on a date with me.”
Carlyle, barely controlling his tightening throat, continued speaking.

“It’s just that your father’s been pressuring you to find a partner, so you were planning to just pretend to do that with me, right?”
“Mm.”
“Ah, aha~.”

Cold sweat poured down Carlyle’s back as he barely managed to nod in agreement.
Beneath the Holy Sword, he could hear the sound of someone scoffing.
[…I can guess whose idea that was. The level of that excuse is exactly what I’d expect from you.]

‘Pardon?’
[I mean, there are some people who might be smart, but their skill at coming up with a cover story is sorely lacking. Idiot.]
‘I’m not sure who you’re talking about, but… why the sudden insult?’
[Don’t worry. That was aimed at her, not you.]

‘…’
…She was getting more and more unpredictable with the timing of her insults.
As he was thinking that, he noticed Gray across from him, glancing down at the menu now and then.

Carlyle cautiously picked up his own menu.
Looks expensive…
They were currently at one of the most exclusive restaurants in the Capital.

If he remembered correctly, even nobles often had to wait for a reservation to get in. The fact that she could simply walk in without warning was no doubt the combined power of being a Duke’s heir and a Hero.
“Are you sure it’s alright to bring me to such a famous and expensive place?”
“…Was it that kind of place?”

“…”
“I just came whenever I felt like it, so I didn’t notice.”
Judging from how she spoke, it was obvious—there was no point discussing everyday life with someone who lived in a completely different reality.

In truth, unlike Gray, Carlyle had no idea what to order and couldn’t make up his mind at all.
The dish names looked like an alien language. Some even sounded like the incantations of an evil spell.
[…You’ve regressed that many times, and you’ve never been to a place like this?]

‘All my regressions took place in ruined worlds.’
[Ah.]
Indeed, while Carlyle had regressed countless times, the Capital had already been destroyed in those timelines.
The only things he’d ever eaten were damp, moldy military rations or roughly cooked game hunted in the wild.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this was the very first proper restaurant he’d ever been to.
As he stared intently at the menu, thinking that—
[…Hm.]

Suddenly, Gray twitched.
Then she stared fixedly at empty air.
As if there was something there that Carlyle could not see.

“…”
Eventually, Gray quietly nodded, then reached for Carlyle’s menu.
With a snap, she closed it and pulled it over to herself.

“Uh, Miss?”
“If you don’t know what to choose, stay still. I’ll pick for you.”
“…”

“You can’t eat shellfish, but you like meat and cream, right?”
“…H-how do you know that?”
He’d never really gone out of his way to tell anyone his food preferences.

In fact, his usual approach was to eat whatever was given to him gratefully, so there had been no chance to show any preference.
This was honestly surprising.
As he looked at her with shining eyes, she straightened ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ her back in a manner befitting someone who’d punctuate it with a smug cough.

“Well, something like that is just basic knowledge.”
“Really?”
“Of course, of course. The Hero knows everything.”

Wow.
Wow…
The Hero was truly an amazing person!

“Miss, I’m kind of touched!”
“…Hm.”
Gray’s ears twitched. Her eyebrows quivered, and even her cheeks twitched slightly.

Looking at Carlyle’s sparkling eyes seemed to provoke some kind of reaction.
[…Ah, damn it.]
‘…What now?’

[Feels like I’ve cooked porridge just to feed it to a dog…]
‘…’
He didn’t really get what she meant, but he decided to let it pass.

It was touching that she’d gone out of her way to consider something like this for him.
[Touching…?]
‘…What’s wrong now?’

[It’s the way you said it… why does it sound like you’re talking about a dutiful child?]
‘…’
Now she was nitpicking every single thing.

As he was thinking that, a neatly dressed waiter approached with meticulously arranged dishes.
Of course, while the plating was immaculate, to Carlyle it looked bizarre—he couldn’t even guess where to start.
“…How do you eat this?”

Tilting his head at the strange-looking food, Carlyle asked, making the waiter flinch.
The fleeting emotion on the man’s face was something like, How can you not know this?
Of course, as a high-class restaurant employee, he quickly masked that and replaced it with a smile, but there was someone at the table far more sensitive to such expressions.

“Hey.”
Gray spoke quietly.
“You got a problem with my partner?”

“…Ah, Hero, it’s not that—”
“Not that? You clearly just looked down on him.”
“…”

“Call the manager. Before I flip this place—”
But Gray suddenly stopped mid-sentence, frowning and staring at empty air again.
As if there were something floating there that no one else could see.

“…I would have told you to call the manager, normally.”
Looking at the waiter—pale from the thought of having displeased the Hero—Gray sighed in dissatisfaction.
“Since I’m with someone special today, I’ll let it slide. Just make sure you take extra care of my partner. Got it?”

“Yes, thank you for your consideration…!”
As the waiter hurried off toward the kitchen, Gray muttered irritably while cutting into her meat.
“What kind of staff training do they get? It’s not like this is some noble-only private hall—of course he might not know—”

Gray’s words cut off.
Across from her, Carlyle was staring at her with eyes that were practically brimming with emotion.
“Miss…!”

What was this?
This smooth, mature way of handling things—
Right now—

Of all people, she—
She had thought, If there’s a scene, Carlyle will be troubled, and had swallowed her own emotions.
Without him even asking, she’d held back her usual crazy, psychopathic, public-menace behavior…!

“Miss…! I… I’m really moved…!”
“…Don’t overreact.”
Though she said that, Gray cleared her throat with a faint blush on her face.

Her tone was curt, but it was obvious she didn’t dislike his reaction.
[…This feels strange.]
…The Holy Sword sounded unusually displeased, though.

***
And then—
The moment they left the restaurant, Carlyle found himself being threatened.

“Hold it.”
“…Pardon?”
“If you’re going to make an excuse to my father, you have to do it properly. How can we say we’re on a date if you don’t even hold hands?”

“…”
As she spoke, Gray snatched his hand.
…From any angle, it looked less like a romantic gesture and more like a bird of prey seizing its catch.

And so they crossed through the night-lit streets of the Capital.
Step by step, without a word, they walked the night road.
Carlyle quietly followed her lead, but Gray’s thoughts were tangled in their own way.

—If you’re not sure, try seriously meeting someone at least once.
—…Meet someone?
—You never really know until you try, Gray. Even if it’s not sincere at first, pretending might let you feel something.
***
Her father Lionel’s words from not long ago floated in her mind.

If she didn’t know what love was, why not at least pretend to be a lover once?
But even with those words—
…Still.

She didn’t understand.
When this guy was nearby, she felt comfortable.
When she saw him getting close to others instead of her, she felt uneasy.

When he praised her, she felt pleased.
That was all.
Even now, walking together like this, she didn’t feel anything particularly special. At least, from her perspective.

But—
The hand she was holding was undeniably warm.
It was a sensation she could never feel when alone.

“…”
Well then.
For now, that was enough.

—There’s no need to rush, Gray.
—For now, just do as you like.
Her father had told her that, too.
Thinking of that, Gray allowed a faint smile to touch her lips.

“…Miss, did you just smile?”
“What?”
“No, it’s just… I thought you smiled a little—”

“I didn’t.”
“But I clearly saw—”
“I said I didn’t.”

“Why would I be smiling right now? It’s irritating enough just being out here with someone like you.”
“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”
“…”

Idiot.
That was a lie.
And if she’d confirmed anything through this absurd act—

It was that having him nearby made her feel happy.
***
Meanwhile—

Carlyle was wrapped in his own intense deliberations.
Something felt off. It had felt off for a while now.
Something…

…Hero.
[Hm?]
I feel like I’m being protected.

[…]
Even just now, walking down the street—
“Walk on the inside. It’s dangerous near the edge.”

“Uh?”
Wasn’t this usually something a man would say to a woman?
As he thought that, Gray shot him a sharp glare.

“Don’t like it?”
“…Thank you.”
He obediently moved to the inside.

Then Gray, still dragging him along by the hand, suddenly turned to him as if remembering something.
“Before we go back to the inn, is there anywhere you need to stop by?”
“Huh?”

“I’ll see you there. It’s dangerous to be out alone at night.”
“…”
Hmm.

…Was this right?
What was this situation?
It felt like his own sense of identity was starting to waver.

After all, on the surface, Gray was just a small girl who barely came up to his chest. Anyone who didn’t know she was a Hero would think he was being dragged along by someone younger.
—What’s that?
—Are they siblings?
Naturally, they were attracting plenty of stares.

Anyone would look at a tiny girl holding the hand of a much larger man and dragging him along like this.
Carlyle exhaled, trying to cool the heat rising in his face.
And if they were attracting this much attention—

It was only natural the odds of a “chance encounter” would go up compared to normal.
“…Miss? Carlyle?”
“…”

…She looked… shocked?
Carlyle thought that as he spotted Vespa, holding a shopping basket, standing before them.