Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Companion (4)  

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Naturally, as a student enrolled at the Cradle, Gray also attended classes from time to time.  

Though her ‘classes’ took a rather different form compared to most students.  

The very idea of ‘teaching’ something to the Hero was somewhat paradoxical.  

It was closer to ‘helping her realize things on her own’.  

She had long since mastered the foundational knowledge the academy could offer. At this point, the appropriate approach was to accumulate experience and independently identify and compensate for her own shortcomings.  

“—I surrender.”  

As Siona Rebel raised both hands in surrender, Gray sighed and lowered the sword she had pointed at her.  

The spiritual energy swirling around Siona dissipated instantly.  

“Whew—you’re still a monster as always. I summoned three spirits and still couldn’t win.”  

“You weren’t fighting seriously either.”  

“…Huh?”  

“Dragonblood. You didn’t use it.”  

Siona chuckled.  

“Hero, that’s classified information, you know. You shouldn’t mention it so casually.”  

“To someone who hunted a dragon years ago?”  

As Gray sighed and sheathed the Holy Sword, Siona shrugged.  

“Did you learn that? That ‘Mind’s Eye‘ technique?”  

It wasn’t just similar—it was nearly identical to the movements Carlisle employed.  

As if she could see seconds into the future.  

“No. I just picked it up.”  

“…Huh?”  

“Watched him use it a few times and figured it out. Copied it.”  

“……”  

…Was this woman even human?  

She hadn’t formally learned it—just observed it a handful of times and replicated it perfectly?  

“More importantly, any progress on that?”  

“Huh?”  

At the sudden question, Gray furrowed her brows.  

“That guy you’re investigating. Found anything?”  

Ah.  

Come to think of it, she had asked to be informed if anything turned up.  

‘…Carlisle sure is popular.’  

The Gray Cardinal, the Hero—it wasn’t easy to command this much attention from such figures.  

Especially when it was all directed at a single person.  

And that person undoubtedly had an equally intriguing past.  

“Nothing.”  

“…What?”  

“Literally nothing. There are no surviving records.”  

“……”  

“The earliest trace is a record of him being adopted into an orphanage around age fifteen. No information on his birthplace, who raised him, or how he ended up there.”  

Strictly speaking, that wasn’t too unusual.  

No matter how advanced administrative systems were, people slipping through the cracks wasn’t uncommon. Carlisle Belfast could easily be one such case.  

“However, there was one interesting detail.”  

“…What?”  

Tracing records under the name ‘Valtheimer’, as mentioned by the Gray Cardinal, yielded something odd.  

While there were no records of a person named Carlisle Belfast, there was mention of the ‘Belfast family’.  

“…?”  

Gray blinked in confusion, prompting Siona to continue, resting her chin on her fingers.  

“The Belfast family was entirely exterminated by imperial decree, their records erased.”  

Gray’s expression darkened.  

“…Why?”  

“No idea. No records remain. And we don’t even know if that family is connected to Carlisle Belfast.”  

It could just be a coincidence—not uncommon among the empire’s countless citizens.  

…There was no definitive link. Everything was ambiguous.  

But one thing was certain.  

This was a family the Emperor and his inner circle had personally erased from existence.  

If Carlisle Belfast was connected to that…  

“Hero. I don’t usually say this, but from this point onward, caution might be wise.”  

“What?”  

“That man’s background reeks of something deep and dark. No—something even more dangerous.”  

“……”  

Gray closed her eyes briefly before reopening them.  

“That’s for me to judge.”  

“…Hmm.”  

“More importantly, that old Cardinal. She’s interested in him, isn’t she? You’ve been investigating under her authority too.”  

“Oh, you knew?”  

A fist like a flash of light slammed into Siona’s chest.  

…The fact that she only coughed and didn’t collapse spoke volumes about her durability.  

Gray snorted.  

“I don’t appreciate being left out of the loop. Share everything with me.”  

“—Uh, yes. Understood.”  

As Siona sniffled in response, Gray sighed internally.  

Then—  

“…?”  

A sharp sensation ran up her back from the Holy Sword.  

What?  

This had never happened before. Did the sword have this function?  

Gray tilted her head, focusing on the magic pattern.  

“……”  

It was as if…  

Something capable of resonating with the Holy Sword was sending a ‘signal’.  

The location—  

“…The Forest of Eternity?”  

◆  

After encountering Letty, the exam proceeded surprisingly smoothly.  

They reached the forest’s center without further encounters.  

“…I think we might be the first to arrive?”  

“Seems like it?”  

The real challenge began here.  

The entrance to the heart of the Forest of Eternity was blocked by a massive spherical barrier.  

[It’s a time-locked barrier. It weakens gradually—by tomorrow morning, it’ll be easy to pass.]  

‘…But the earlier you arrive, the higher your score, right? Why set up something like this?‘  

[Well, even the smallest breach would grant full marks. This exam is structured to be impossible for freshmen to clear overnight, so attempts like this are encouraged.]  

Thanks to me, you’re breezing through.  

The Holy Sword preened, while Carlisle studied the barrier carefully.  

It looked solid. Extremely so.  

[With my magic and Vespa’s help, we might magicge. It’ll be grueling, though.]  

‘Is it really necessary?‘  

[The Headmaster set this up. It is necessary.]  

‘……‘  

…The eccentric old man had a habit of flexing his skills in the most inconvenient ways.  

Carlisle sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  

‘…Should we just wait until morning?‘  

[……Why? It’s not impossible to break. You’d rather camp out?]  

The Hero sounded distinctly displeased, but Carlisle remained unfazed.  

‘Vespa looks exhausted. I’d rather not push her.‘  

There was no harm in waiting until morning.  

Passing the exam was all that mattered.  

[……]  

The Holy Sword clamped its mouth shut irritably.  

Its dissatisfaction was palpable.  

[So you’re spending the night in the forest? Just the two of you?]  

‘I know it’s not ideal.’  

Surviving a night in the wild was harder than it seemed.  

Bugs were a nuisance, the noise was psychologically taxing, and the physical strain was immense.  

Hence the camping supplies they’d prepared for the exam.  

‘Let’s just rest and proceed tomorrow.’  

He relayed this to Vespa.  

“It shouldn’t be too difficult…”  

Her gaze lingered on the campsite behind them.  

The tent—set up mostly by Carlisle while Vespa struggled—stood there.  

“…Isn’t that tent a bit small?”  

“……”  

Hmm.  

Carlisle silently agreed.  

…It wasn’t spacious enough for them to sleep separately.  

“—We might have to stick together for the night.”  

“……”  

“…Maybe even share the tent, um…”  

Her voice trailed off.  

“……”  

“……”  

An awkward silence stretched, filled only by the chirping of crickets.  

[……Trash. Pervert. Monkey-brained degenerate—]  

‘Excuse me, what are you imagining?‘  

Sleeping was just sleeping.  

Carlisle wasn’t the type to take advantage of Vespa.  

The real issue was the Holy Sword’s overprotectiveness.  

[This might be an inappropriate question, but… Are you impotent?]  

‘……’  

[Or… Dysfunctional? How can you just brush off such an obvious setup?]  

‘…I’m fully functional.’  

If asked whether he was interested, he was a man with normal urges.  

But there was a time and place for everything. What kind of person did the sword think he was?  

He and Vespa weren’t even at that stage.  

‘We’re both adults. What’s the worst that could happen? We have common sense.’  

[……I trust one of you. The one who’d never make a move. The other is the problem.]  

What was that supposed to mean?  

‘You don’t trust me? I’m the one who needs to stay put.’  

[It’s not you—… Never mind. Just bite your tongue and commit suicide or something.]  

‘……’  

The sudden vitriol was jarring.  

As Carlisle stood dumbfounded, Vespa fidgeted beside him.  

“S-so, Carlisle… Shall we, um, sleep together?”  

“……”  

Why was she so awkward about it?  

The Holy Sword’s earlier remarks resurfaced, making Carlisle cough stiffly.  

“Y-yeah. Sure.”  

[—Wait.]  

As he agreed, the Holy Sword interjected.  

[This isn’t the time. You should focus on breaking the barrier and finishing the exam.]  

‘Suddenly, why?‘  

[She’s coming.]  

‘Huh?‘  

[I don’t know how she found out, but I can sense her approaching.]  

A chill ran down Carlisle’s spine.  

‘—Here? Now?‘  

[The energy is unmistakable.]  

…Oh, hell no.  

The same person who crashed a study session just to monopolize him—what would she do upon finding him sharing a tent with Vespa?  

‘She’ll lose it, won’t she?‘  

[She’ll lose it.]  

Damn it.  

Gritting his teeth, Carlisle approached the barrier.  

…There was no choice. He had to find a way to break through.  

‘Wait, why is she coming here? Any ideas?‘  

[How should I know?]  

Had Carlisle been slightly less panicked, he might have noticed the stiffness in the sword’s tone.  

As if it had something to hide.  

…But right now—  

Truly—  

[She must have sensed you meddling with something she considers hers.]  

Feigning innocence.  

Playing clueless.  

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