Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Change

◆  

“Th-thank you for today!”  

After completing the spectacular cave exploration, Her Highness the princess bowed deeply despite her pale face.  

True to her innocent childlike nature, she seemed to have interpreted the ghoul attack as ‘how simulation exercises are supposed to be’, completely unaware of any abnormality in the situation…  

“I-I’ll be attending the academy as a regular student from now on!”  

“Yes. Do your best.”  

“⋯⋯”  

At this response, the princess began fidgeting.  

She kept glancing nervously between Carlisle and Gray…  

“Your Highness, is there something you’d like to say?”  

Unable to watch any longer, Carlisle nudged her, causing Princess Illia to startle and open her mouth like a baby bird chirping in surprise.  

“C-can I! Visit you sometimes!”  

“⋯⋯”  

“I-I’m sorry but, I-I don’t know anyone at the academy, I-I don’t know anything here!”  

Ah.  

“In other words, you’re saying you need friends?”  

“U-um…”  

⋯⋯To show this much hesitation while making such a simple request—  

It clearly revealed what kind of life she must have led in the imperial family.  

Frankly pitiful.  

“Of course. I’d be honored to be Your Highness’s friend.”  

When Carlisle answered with a smile, the princess bowed her head vigorously again.  

“Th-thank y—”  

⋯⋯She tripped over her words again.  

Covering her mouth with teary eyes, the princess’s face turned bright red before she bowed deeply and scampered down the hallway like an embarrassed squirrel…  

“Lucky you, huh?”  

Watching this scene, Gray’s cold voice cut through.  

“Being all nice and cunning to a seven-year-old.”  

“⋯⋯What exactly do you mean by that, Miss?”  

“Meal. Bath. Bed preparation. Hurry up. I’m getting some air before going back.”  

With those words, Gray too disappeared down the hallway.  

“⋯⋯Hmm.”  

Carlisle tilted his head at her retreating figure.  

Something felt subtly different from usual.  

He couldn’t pinpoint it, but Gray seemed more emotionally charged than normal.  

‘Is it because of this?‘  

He summoned the system window.  

The rewards the system gave Carlisle often left him wondering what they really meant.  

“⋯⋯”  

Gray now had an ‘Interest’ trait.  

What could that be?  

[⋯⋯Literally what it says—she’s become interested.]  

“But isn’t there already enough interest with the ‘Trust‘ trait?”  

[Well, you can trust pets too—’This loyal dog would never bite me.’]  

“⋯⋯”  

[Interest means she’s become genuinely curious about you as a person. Your consistent positive influence accumulated to this.]  

Natural progression.  

Scratching his head at the Holy Sword’s explanation, Carlisle asked,  

“So I’ve been promoted from pet to human?”  

[⋯⋯I never said that.]  

The lack of denial spoke volumes.  

Carlisle chuckled wryly and sheathed the Holy Sword.  

Well, any progress was good progress.  

The other reward was more straightforward,  

‘Holy Sword functionality added…‘  

The ‘form change’ feature remained mysterious, but new functions were always welcome.  

Though why the system bundled this with the headmaster-related event was questionable.  

“Ah, Carlisle Belfast?”  

A voice from down the hallway made Carlisle look up.  

Speak of the devil—headmaster Sear Whiteburn stood there.  

“Excellent work today. Impressive. We need to talk—my office.”  

“Ah, yes sir.”  

“And bring that Holy Sword you’re carrying. We’ll need it.”  

“Uh, yes.”  

As Sear’s footsteps faded, Carlisle and the Holy Sword shared a moment of silence.  

“⋯⋯Holy Sword.”  

[⋯⋯]  

“⋯⋯He definitely said ‘Holy Sword‘, right?”  

[⋯⋯Undoubtedly.]  

What the hell.  

◆  

“It really is the Holy Sword.”  

While Carlisle sat frozen on the sofa, the headmaster examined Gray’s sword form with keen interest.  

“Seeing it up close confirms it. How did you hide this until now?”  

“⋯⋯”  

Carlisle squirmed uncomfortably.  

If questioned about why he possessed the hero’s symbol, he had no plausible explanation.  

Noticing his discomfort, the headmaster chuckled and set the sword down.  

“Relax. I won’t ask where you got it.”  

“⋯⋯Huh?”  

Genuinely unexpected.  

Who wouldn’t question someone casually carrying the Holy Sword?  

“Ever seen what happens when an unworthy person holds the Holy Sword?”  

At Carlisle’s blank stare, the headmaster smirked.  

“Not something heroes normally witness—they never let their weapons out of sight. Hard to steal from them too.”  

He leaned back casually.  

“But the fact you’re alive while holding it proves your worthiness.”  

“⋯⋯Ah.”  

“I won’t ask its origins. Frankly, I don’t care.”  

More Holy Sword wielders meant more protection.  

No need to question good fortune.  

His indifferent tone carried through as he examined the sword.  

“You have your reasons, and I’ve no interest prying into others’ affairs.”  

“⋯⋯”  

The headmaster’s utter lack of concern made Carlisle blink.  

Truly worthy of being Gray’s recognized ‘strongest.’  

Not even flinching at the impossible—a second Holy Sword.  

“And there’s something inside, yes? Not sure what.”  

Carlisle stiffened.  

Could he detect Gray’s presence?  

“You two seem close. It’s clearly been helping you considerably.”  

“⋯⋯Huh?”  

“How did you think you hid this until now?”  

⋯⋯Through careful disguise efforts.  

Or so Carlisle believed.  

“Hmm, even so, your junior Gray should’ve noticed. As a wielder herself. The bond between hero and Holy Sword transcends what you imagine.”  

“⋯⋯Huh?”  

“No mere disguise could conceal it.”  

“⋯⋯”  

“Likely whatever’s inside has been actively masking its presence. For your sake.”  

“⋯⋯”  

“You’ve got a good friend there. That constant effort must be exhausting.”  

—He’d had no idea.  

‘⋯⋯Why didn’t you tell me?’  

[⋯⋯]  

The Holy Sword stubbornly remained silent.  

But Carlisle could guess the reason.  

‘Were you hiding it because you thought it’d burden me?’  

[⋯⋯]  

The continued silence spoke volumes.  

[⋯⋯Leave it be. It’s necessary.]  

While he agreed it was necessary…  

She could’ve at least mentioned the effort.  

Carlisle gazed at the sword thoughtfully.  

“I might not have noticed either, if not paying close attention.”  

The headmaster explained he’d sensed something off during the ghoul extermination.  

Holy steel’s power maximizes against unnatural entities—ordinary swords can’t permanently kill ghouls, yet Carlisle’s strikes annihilated them instantly.  

“Seeing that piqued my interest.”  

“⋯⋯”  

“Which brings me to my proposal.”  

The headmaster grinned.  

“How about I teach you to properly wield this?”  

“⋯⋯Huh?”  

“Looks entertaining. As an educator, I can’t ignore such an intriguing combination.”  

An unexpected second Holy Sword.  

Its mysterious wielder.  

“Wondering how far you might grow.”  

“⋯⋯”  

Carlisle mentally weighed the offer.  

Countless regressions had taught him never to trust blindly.  

Without knowing the headmaster’s true motives, caution was warranted—  

“Ah, first I’ll teach you how to mask the Holy Sword without straining whatever’s inside.”  

“I’ll learn.”  

⋯⋯Instant acceptance.  

[⋯⋯]  

‘⋯⋯‘  

An awkward telepathic silence hung between the sword and it’s wielder.  

Neither knew how to address the unspoken care between them.  

Meanwhile, the headmaster smiled at Carlisle’s answer.  

“Wise choice. You’ll need it soon anyway.”  

Something about—  

“You’ll likely get tangled in major events.”  

—sounded ominously prophetic.  

Days later, Carlisle found himself recalling an old adage,  

‘Never ignore advice from elders.‘  

The headmaster’s words had undoubtedly been factual foresight—  

—as proven when Cardinal Felix appeared with a smiling proposition,  

“Shall we go on a little date, Carlisle?”  

“⋯⋯”  

At least knock first, damn it.  

◆  

-System Message  

▶ ‘Private Talk with the Cardinal’ event in progress.  

▶ Successful completion will add ‘Gray Cardinal’ to the ‘Training’ list!  

◆