− Then it means someone has intercepted it.

“But you said it was a place where no one comes.”

− Hmm, there were guests that day though.

“Then there is a high probability that someone else took it. But don’t worry, Priest. Even if it falls into someone else’s hands, it won’t function. In case of unexpected situations, I put a curse on it and broke it in advance. Someone would have to absorb all the curses embedded in it to restore it, but before that, their body would twist and die like a key. It’s impossible unless a holy sword falls from the sky.”

− That’s fortunate, but it’s a shame that we need a sacrifice with that much power to check the future again. It’s troublesome to sacrifice vitality again. It would be perfect if a massacre occurred somewhere.

“Then how about using the Golden Plains?”

− We already broke that place.

“The monsters just need to carry out a massacre. With the Noums, priests, and even the royal knights there, they will make excellent sacrifices.”

− Sounds good. I’ll look forward to it, Bishop.

With those words, the blood-filled tray became quiet again.

The kneeling bishop slowly stood up. And next to him, after changing into a girl’s school uniform, she rubbed her face with both hands.

Then, black smoke flowed from her palms, and her features changed into those of a young girl.

“Summoning monsters takes quite a bit of power… Should I try to find a proper sacrifice this time?”

That night.

Lying in bed, Rukna Golden tossed and turned.

‘I can’t fall asleep.’

The conversation she had with Matian Wiegratz in the closed lecture room kept haunting her mind.

〈I’m starting to think that nothing matters anymore.〉

His words pouring out how his mind felt polluted.

‘What do you want me to do about it.’

There was not a single word of affection in what he said, and there was no way he could have feelings for the same man.

But every time she remembered his confused expression and voice, her heart pounded.

‘I’m crazy.’

It was clear that the one whose mind was polluted was not Matian, but herself.

It was just today that she was confused about her identity, and now this damn depraved brain only thinks about a man!

‘Think of something else, something else.’

Come to think of it, what was the pouch that Bishop told her to bring in the lecture room?

Rukna took out a small bundle from her pants pocket. On the worn cloth bundle, there was an eagle pattern embroidered with faded red thread…

Rukna sat up abruptly. It seemed she had touched something that should not be touched. Why was such a thing at the military academy?

‘Hey Bisbi, Bisbi!’

「Yes, Master.」

‘What the hell is this!’

「You’ll have to see for yourself to know, Master.」

‘You told me to bring this without even knowing what it is?’

I hope I don’t get involved in something bad. Rukna hastily opened the small pouch opening. Inside were broken pieces of wood.

Roughly piecing the shape back together, it became a key the size of two fingers.

‘It looks just like a children’s toy.’

Just as she thought it was fortunate that it didn’t seem to be an important object.

「Don’t fiddle with it too much. It’s cursed.」

‘Aack, why are you telling me that now!’

Rukna quickly put the key pieces back into the cloth pouch and pulled the drawstring tight.

‘What kind of curse? I’m not already cursed, am I?’

「It’s a curse that twists the straightest things. This key is also thought to have been broken due to the curse.」

‘The straightest thing?’

Rukna imagined bones like arms or legs being broken.

But it seemed the meaning of “the straightest thing” that the holy sword mentioned was quite abstract.

「What are you worried about? Someone like you, Master, who is crooked by nature, has nothing to break anywhere.」

‘Huh?’

「Because you made such a fuss over bringing a measly wooden key, you got cursed by this wretched curse.」

The holy sword, who usually spoke in a sarcastic but monotonous tone, had changed. The tone was closer to that of an ill-tempered queen.

「The noble holy body has been defiled because of you, the vulgar master who touches and looks at everything!」

‘Did you get twisted by absorbing the curse instead of me, Bisbi?’

Although the holy sword’s personality could not be said to be upright even normally, judging by this level of reaction, what was twisted by the curse seemed to be the holy sword’s personality.

「Absorb? How crude!」

Look at this. How powerful was the curse that it made the holy sword like this?

When Rukna looked down at the pendant with a pitiful heart, the holy sword wailed, “Your greedy eyes are defiling me!”

‘Haa, let’s think about how to break the curse first. What should we try?’

Rukna grabbed the pendant tightly and tried purification by infusing holy power.

「No, something is invading my body. I’m being corrupted!」

‘Corrupted is a strong word.’

「Ugh, help me. Reforge the defiled holy body with the clean flames of tempering!」

This seems to be changing genres.

「I command you to return this body to its rightful place at once!」

Wow, even giving orders now.

‘You used to beg me not to throw you away.’

Quite hurt by the holy sword’s words, Rukna stopped trying to purify.

「A noble holy sword never begs. I will find a noble new master, not a pathetic master who picks up trash!」

‘Seriously, who do you think will miss you? I was trying to let you do that anyway.’

She was thinking of returning it to its place anyway. The truth was, even though its functions were quite useful, its existence was burdensome. She also knew well how much Matian needed this sword.

Rukna looked down at the holy sword that was greatly twisted by the curse.

It was just that she had grown attached to this guy. That’s why she hesitated.

The mid-term break, which provided the last rest before the graduation ceremony, was just around the corner.

It also meant that the expedition to the Golden Plains, which was also a punishment for some, was not far away.

In the meantime, the holy sword slowly regained its condition. However, as it escaped from the curse, the holy sword spoke less and less.

‘I guess even this hunk of metal is embarrassed by its own mistake?’

It was quite an amusing time, like watching a drunk troublemaker sobering up and becoming docile.

Matian also kept his distance from her, perhaps conscious of what had happened in the closed lecture room.

He still ignored Rukna, but when their eyes met once in a while, he stared at her piercingly.

‘If you’re going to ignore me, just ignore me completely. What is this? Is he doing this because he’s afraid I might spread strange rumors?’

Those meaningful eyes never knew how to look away first, so it was always Rukna’s role to avert her gaze first.

And the night came.

Rukna, who had been trying hard to stay awake, checked the clock. It was 11:40 p.m., just in time for the guard change at the plaza.

Rukna secretly left the dormitory, crossed the campus, and arrived at the brick wall.

Although the height to the pointed iron bars on top of the brick wall was considerable, Rukna nimbly climbed over the wall and came out.

At times like this, she felt rewarded for training without rest.

‘I’ll have to do that dawn training alone once I return the holy sword.’

Would this holy sword appreciate its master’s heart?

Rukna swallowed the bitterness she felt on the tip of her tongue and ran to the Plaza of Honor.

She was able to comfortably view the platform where the holy sword was stuck, as the night patrol guards briefly left their posts for a shift change.

In fact, it wasn’t the first time she had tried to return the holy sword.

Before, she had visited the plaza late at night to put the sword back in its place, but she was almost caught by the guard and barely escaped with Matian’s help.

‘The holy sword made a fuss as if that was funny.’

Remembering the holy sword that kept saying all sorts of things, telling her to seduce Matian, whose tendency had changed to obsessive madness, and escape being forever alone, made her chuckle slightly.

‘Let’s succeed today.’

Rukna tightly grasped the pendant and looked up at the marble pillar.

‘In a few hours, Matian will be done with training and looking up at the platform from this spot.’

Rukna knew well that it was one of Matian’s morning routines.

‘This is right.’

From the beginning, this holy sword belonged to the hero who would protect the world, not to her.

So for the sake of the real hero, she was going to put the undefiled holy sword back in its place.

‘Bisbi, turn into sword form.’

「…….」

‘Bisbi? I said turn into sword form.’

Rukna tightly grasped the pendant and shook it. But the holy sword showed no reaction.

‘Hey, you bastard. You won’t listen to your master? Why are you acting like this these days?’

Bisbi, the great holy sword Bisbi, the mercy of God Bisbi, the sacred Bisbi, the noble sacrifice Bisbi. The protagonist of this world, Bisbi.

Ah, the holy sword that shines with God’s blessing!

Rukna tried to summon the holy sword in every way possible, but this damned holy sword did not respond.

‘I won’t let you off!’

“Hey! What are you doing there?”

Then, a guard who had returned to his post spotted Rukna.

Damn it. Rukna rolled her eyes and quickly ran away.

“Stop right there!”

The guard began to chase after Rukna.

He shouted, “A suspicious person has appeared at the plaza!” and gathered his colleagues.

Entering a narrow alley, Rukna hid her body under an abandoned street table.

It was a very small space where an average man would have a hard time hiding, but it was possible for Rukna.

The busy footsteps of the guards passed right next to her and gradually moved away.

Phew. Rukna let out a sigh and relaxed.

The previous movement could be a trick to catch her, so if she endured here for 30 minutes before leaving, she would be safe…

“You thought you’d be safe if you endured here for 30 minutes before leaving?”

A low voice that popped out abruptly.

‘Matian?’

Gasp. Rukna covered her nose and mouth with both hands and held her breath.