‘What?’

“Fortunately, she escaped just before becoming a sacrifice, but died from the aftereffects. That’s when I brought you here, master.”

‘Really? Then that’s different from what was in the prophecy.’

“Yes, a new future is being created since you arrived, master. This too is God’s mercy.”

‘It feels less like God’s mercy and more like I’ve become a variable in this world.’

Rukna’s shoulders drooped heavily, as if hearing that the future of this world depended on her.

Someone who couldn’t even take care of herself and met her end through overwork had no chance of fulfilling such an important role.

‘Was it Matian who tried to make me a sacrifice?’

“No. Matian Wiegratz cannot use black magic. To corrupt the great holy sword, you’d need to be at least a Red Eagle Priest.”

‘Who’s the priest then?’

“That information is unknown.”

‘I knew you’d answer like that.’

“How did you know?”

‘You always say you don’t know when it comes to the really important information.’

Rukna let out a deep sigh and bowed her head weakly.

After staying silent for a while, she suddenly raised her head as if struck by a good idea.

‘This won’t do. Rather than pretending not to know and getting caught, I should confess now and hand you over.’

“By confession, do you mean to attack the other person mentally and bring them down?”

‘Mental attack?’

“From Matian Wiegratz’s perspective, a same-sex classmate confessing their feelings would be as mentally damaging as being assaulted.”

‘Not that kind of confession! I meant honestly telling him that I have you…’

“The probability of master being rejected by Matian Wiegratz, 92.8%.”

‘…Hey wait, isn’t that rejection probability unnecessarily high?’

“The probability of losing me if you reveal my identity to Matian Wiegratz is similarly high.”

‘That’s fine.’

“Surely you’re not planning to give me up, master? This great, wise, and merciful holy sword?”

‘Would he believe me if I said I got you through overnight delivery and had no choice but to keep you?’

“Would you believe that story yourself, master?”

‘Then how about putting you back where you belong?’

“You’re avoiding answering my question. Is there no option where you don’t abandon me, master?”

‘Thank you for everything, Bisbee. You’ve worked hard.’

If Matian got the proper holy sword, he would be able to properly protect the world.

He was truly a talent befitting a hero.

“…The possibility that Matian Wiegratz was completely certain I was the holy sword that day is low. It’s difficult to detect my energy in a space with many mixed energies.”

The holy sword explained more carefully than usual. It was a struggle not to be abandoned.

‘Really?’

“Even if he sensed the holy power, you can say it was your own power. You’re a descendant of Closet, so it’s convincing.”

The holy sword’s attitude of even offering alternatives was suspiciously unusual.

Rukna asked why it was being so kind today, but there was no answer.

‘Alright. Either way, that’s one less worry.’

Rukna flopped down on the grass.

As the hot sunlight beat down on her face, she propped her head on her arm and turned her head.

Looking to the side, she saw students running and sweating, wearing only pants.

‘I wonder how long they’ll keep running.’

Rukna, watching them boredly, looked down at her opposite arm.

She should be wearing the summer uniform.

It’s stressful to show thin arms among those with bulging muscles.

Rukna chuckled, imagining her arm muscles below the short sleeves becoming plump.

‘I’m really something. Just a moment ago I was worrying about the world’s destruction, and now I’m concerned about muscles.’

As she sat up, Rukna flexed her arm like a bodybuilder, tensing her muscles.

The thin muscles bulged slightly, showing off to their owner.

Suddenly, the forearm with distinct muscles that she had longed for appeared from above, reaching out a hand.

Following that arm upwards, a face she hadn’t seen in a while brightened her view.

“Matian?”

How embarrassing to be caught like this! Rukna lowered her modest arms and averted her gaze.

Though it had only been a few days, Matian felt as unfamiliar as if they’d been apart for months.

“Class is starting soon, Rukna.”

Matian shook his outstretched hand again.

His kind smile felt like mockery of her forearms, but that was probably just her own insecurity.

‘But why isn’t he asking me anything?’

If she were Matian, she would have asked about the holy sword once more.

But he was simply offering a hand to his seated classmate.

‘I thought he was different on the inside, but he’s unexpectedly innocent in some ways.’

Rukna took Matian’s hand and greeted him.

“Thank y- Ah?”

As Matian applied force, Rukna’s body sprang up like a coil.

The pulling force and grip were so strong that if her lower body had been weak, she would have fallen right into Matian’s arms.

‘Ugh, why is he pulling my hand so hard?’

Her small body swayed side to side before finally regaining balance.

Matian, seeming to realize his mistake, quickly let go of her hand, and Rukna shook her freed hand in the air.

“Are you hurt?”

“Ah, my hand just feels a bit stiff.”

Rukna shook her pale hand, absolutely not mentioning that it was aching from his brutish grip.

“Not your hand.”

Matian’s gaze was fixed on Rukna’s neck.

Was he talking about the wound from Randall’s dagger this morning? She had left it alone since it seemed minor, but it must have caught his eye.

“Oh, this? It’s just a small scratch.”

As Rukna lightly covered the wound with her hand, Matian took her hand and lowered it.

“From a sword?”

He immediately recognized it as a sword wound. His observational skills were uncanny as always.

Rukna tried to cover the wound again, but Matian didn’t let go of her hand.

“How long are you going to hold on?”

Her hand clasped in his kept getting hotter, to the point of embarrassment.

Was he always so quick to grab hands like this?

“Ah.”

Matian let out a small exclamation and hastily let go of her hand.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

As she stroked the lightly scabbed wound, soothing the itchy sensation, Matian spoke first.

“There wasn’t even a sword training class today. How did you get hurt?”

“I got careless during a duel. If I hadn’t tripped on a fallen practice sword, I would have won without a scratch.”

“You… had a duel?”

Matian knew that Rukna usually avoided duels.

Given that the club that usually praised him had been quiet about this rare duel, it likely didn’t happen during regular hours.

It was unlikely she went out late at night, so it probably occurred in the quiet morning or dawn hours.

‘So someone else knows about Rukna’s dawn training besides me.’

It was unexpected.

Did Rukna tell her opponent directly? Though their training locations differed, thinking of Rukna sharing the quiet dawn with someone else made his mind complicated.

“Who was it?”

“Why are you asking?”

Instead of an answer, a question came back. Matian slowly raised one eyebrow with a smile. Avoiding the answer, are we?

“I’m curious who you dueled with. Was it Chad?”

Matian regretted mentioning the name of the likely suspect he had in mind.

It didn’t add up.

The chances of Chad, who enjoyed night activities, being awake in the early dawn were slim, and if it were him, he would have used magic instead of a sword, leaving a bigger scar.

“…Randall.”

Rukna reluctantly revealed the name.

She did so because Matian seemed like he would persistently pursue an answer if she kept resisting.

‘This feels like I’m telling on Randall to get him scolded.’

She had only hoped to avoid catching his eye, but now she had shown an incompetent side. And to Randall of all people.

“Ah, Randall. So that gloomy bastard finally did it.”

Though a rather crude expression flowed from his lips, his tone and expression were excessively gentle, so Rukna didn’t immediately notice.

“Even after being dragged to trial, he still coveted what belongs to others.”

“Someone else’s? Ah.”

It probably meant identity.

Randall was famous for imitating Matian exactly, so from his perspective as the victim, it must feel like his individuality was being stolen.

While Rukna was arbitrarily guessing the meaning of that answer, Matian was glaring at Randall, who was standing in a corner of the lawn watching them.

‘There he goes again, after not doing it for a few days.’

That persistent bastard, is he planning to take revenge for the last duel?

“Humans seem to be such difficult beings to change, don’t you think, Rukna?”

Matian slowly turned his head and stared intently at Rukna before lowering his gaze to the wound on her neck.

“Be careful not to get hurt again.”

With that caution, he stroked Rukna’s wound and then suddenly disappeared from view.

The wound that was healing stung as if he had subtly scratched it.

‘Who’s calling who gloomy?’

The one to be most careful of was not Randall, but that shadowy figure whose inner thoughts couldn’t be read, Matian Wiegratz.

‘So I should be wary of Matian, but…’

Why did that existence become more familiar and concerning as time passed?

Her complicated gaze followed Matian’s back.

Matian was approaching Randall.

Randall, frightened in advance, warily watched the approaching Matian before scurrying away.