Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Ambush (2)

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[I expected them to reveal themselves around now.]  

The Holy Sword’s voice flowed out.  

Come to think of it, it was also the Holy Sword who warned they’d encounter demon worshippers.  

“⋯⋯What’s their goal? They wouldn’t show up just to disrupt a class.”  

[The simulation facility is somewhat isolated from the academy’s center. Perfect for scheming.]  

“What scheme? Are they targeting the imperial family?”  

[No. I’m their target.]  

“Huh?”  

[They want to test how far this generation’s Holy Sword wielder can fight. What weaknesses exist. The cave is likely rigged for this purpose.]  

⋯⋯Ah.  

So regardless of the imperial family, they’re specifically targeting the isolated hero.  

“Then why tell me this now when it’s dangerous?”  

[It’s not dangerous.]  

“Huh?”  

[If it were truly dangerous, I would’ve stopped you. Would I have stayed silent until things escalated?]  

“⋯⋯.”  

[The headmaster likely already noticed suspicious movements within the academy. That’s why the Gray Cardinal is here too.]  

“So there are safety measures?”  

[Of course. And I guarantee the cultists never thought they’d go undetected.]  

In short—  

Both the headmaster and Cardinal Felix know the cultists plan something here. Even the cultists themselves expect to be discovered.  

“⋯⋯.”  

Why so complicated?  

[Shadow wars are inherently convoluted.]  

“Then why is Cardinal Felix here?”  

[To observe how I handle unexpected situations.]  

“⋯⋯.”  

That explains it.  

-“No hero starts out perfect.”  

⋯⋯Headmaster Sear was hinting at this all along.  

He anticipated this from the beginning.  

“So what should we do here?”  

[Do you still have that Command Authority?]  

“⋯⋯? Yes.”  

Acquired as a quest reward long ago.  

An item that can ‘force’ Gray to act.  

‘Though its scope seems limited.’  

When he tried using it to correct her behavior, it couldn’t override extreme emotional reactions.  

Still, it should prove useful now.  

[Use it. Make me act properly.]  

“What action?”  

[⋯⋯I fought poorly here.]  

Carlisle glared at the Holy Sword through narrowed eyes.  

Fought poorly.  

Gray.  

“Don’t bullshit me.”  

[⋯⋯This is why I didn’t want to say it.]  

The Holy Sword grumbled.  

[It wasn’t fear. Nor shock at the brutality.]  

Both are utterly familiar to the current hero.  

But—  

[⋯⋯A weakness was exploited.]  

“What weakness?”  

[Psychological.]  

“⋯⋯You have that? Never seen it across all regressions.”  

[I’d never speak of it. Not even to you.]  

“⋯⋯.”  

Not even Carlisle, who prided himself on knowing Gray intimately through countless cycles, would ever learn this.  

The Holy Sword spoke with absolute certainty.  

[At some point, I buried this weakness. Erased it from my mind.]  

Its tone carried—  

[⋯⋯I must have believed admitting weakness would make me vulnerable.]  

—a tinge of bitterness.  

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“⋯⋯Why isn’t he coming?”  

Gray muttered irritably deep inside the cave.  

After being told to go ahead with the princess, she’d been waiting endlessly for Carlisle.  

Beside her, Illia timidly spoke up,

“⋯⋯Um…”  

“What.”  

The princess flinched at Gray’s harsh tone.  

Despite her lack of influence, she was still royalty—unaccustomed to such disrespect.  

“Is that person… Coming back soon?”  

“⋯⋯.”  

Gray scowled at the child.  

She knew Illia was only seven.  

“Why?”  

It irked her that Carlisle’s ‘stock’ kept rising with others.  

“⋯⋯N-no reason, uh, umm⋯⋯”  

Faced with Gray’s glare, the princess shriveled like a deflated balloon.  

“⋯⋯Lady Chasefield, isn’t this excessive toward Her Highness?”  

Even the silent Cardinal Felix stepped forward protectively, her expression grave.  

“As the Holy Sword’s wielder, you’re obligated to protect dignitaries. Shouldn’t you moderate your attitude?”  

“⋯⋯.”  

She wasn’t wrong.  

The Holy Sword bearer must protect others when requested—the only reason the unwilling Gray was here at all.  

“⋯⋯Isn’t it funny you only mention ‘dignitaries‘?”  

Gray sneered at the hypocrisy—a hero who protects ‘humanity’ yet only answers to the powerful.  

Felix responded unfazed,

“Is that problematic?”  

Her smile remained benign as she continued, 

“You accepted the Sword knowing its irrationalities. Or did you expect fairness?”  

“⋯⋯.”  

“Frankly, your opinion hardly matters.”  

The Cardinal’s gaze swept their surroundings.  

“Just fulfill your role.”  

As she shielded Illia, a holy barrier shimmered around them.  

⋯⋯No explanation was needed.  

“Hmph.”  

Gray drew her Sword with a snort.  

Malevolent presences had been gathering—as if waiting for their arrival.  

Suddenly, figures emerged from the darkness.  

To Gray’s experienced eyes, their nature was immediately clear,

Not human. Demon beasts.  

“⋯⋯Who are these people⋯⋯?”  

Illia blinked innocently as the misshapen creatures shambled forward.  

Felix gently covered her eyes.  

“⋯⋯Your Highness?”  

“Count to 100 in your mind, Your Highness.”  

She blocked her ears as well.  

A necessary precaution—  

—for what came next.  

“⋯⋯-”  

The humanoid figures’ limbs twisted grotesquely before—  

—their skins split open, revealing bladed appendages.  

“—-!”  

Bestial roars, impossible for humans, erupted from their mouths.  

Ghouls. Among the vilest demon beasts.  

Corpses reshaped into monsters.  

Creating them warranted instant execution under imperial law—an act only demon worshippers would dare.  

“On sale- Everything on sale-!”  

“Accept my heart-!”  

“This time I’ll win-!”  

The ghouls spewed meaningless phrases as—  

—Gray raised her Sword with a sigh.  

Holy power was the perfect counter to such abominations.  

What followed wasn’t battle but slaughter.  

Her swings carried such boredom they resembled a farmer harvesting wheat.  

Ghouls ranked among the most troublesome demon beasts—yet she carved through them effortlessly.  

‘Indeed.’  

Humanity’s strongest.  

Worth coming to witness firsthand.  

Felix’s faint smile faded when—  

—Gray froze mid-swing.  

As if unable to strike.  

“My- daughter-”  

Gray knew the words meant nothing.  

Ghouls randomly regurgitated phrases from their human memories.  

But—  

“I’ll- save you-”  

Why these words?  

“⋯⋯”  

The female ghoul was crying.  

Though twisted into monstrosity, its face remained eerily human.  

Seeing that ‘something’ speak—  

“Gray, my daughter.”  

“I’ll definitely save you.”  

Her Sword stayed motionless.  

“-Gray?”  

“⋯⋯.”  

“What are you doing?”  

Even Felix’s prompting couldn’t make her move.  

Her expression gradually emptied.  

The atmosphere turned glacial.  

Grew deadly serious.  

“Hup-da!”  

⋯⋯A man’s cheerful voice shattered the tension as he cleanly bisected the ghoul before Gray.  

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