I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

Carlyle was getting hit right in front of her.
Even in this surreal, disassociated moment—likely the first such moment in her entire life—there was one thing Vespa understood with complete clarity:
‘…I have to do something.’

That was the first thought that surfaced.
But—what?
She had never done anything like this before. Every time Carlyle and Gray exchanged blows, the sound alone made her flinch in place.

What could she possibly do?
—Just say what you want to say.
—Someone who doesn’t value themselves can’t expect others to value them.

—Whatever frustrations or requests you have, anything is fine. Just say everything you’ve been holding back.
“……”
The words she’d heard earlier floated back through the chaos in her mind.

Carlyle…
He was someone who always seemed to be prepared, like he knew everything ahead of time.
He’d discovered a talent in her that even she hadn’t known existed, brought her along into the academy, guided her, helped her.

He’d even defied Gray—for her.
So…
She’d believe in him.

The things she wanted to say.
The things she had always wanted to say to Gray.
She began gathering them in her head.
What she had always wanted to say—

“…Please put things back where they belong after you use them.”
Cleaning up the wreckage of Gray’s room was always the servants’ job, after all.
If Carlyle had heard that, he might have chuckled at how modest her wish was—but the effect was… dramatic.

“Huh.”
Vespa let out a dumb sound as she watched the swirl of blue mist that gathered before her eyes.
Huh?

Something had just formed in front of her, out of nowhere.
Any real mage who saw this would probably scream.
The first step of magic—Sanctification—had just been completed, effortlessly, without any incantation.

It meant the will of the world—mana—had accepted her words.
“……”
What… is this?

Something is happening.
And if something is happening, that must mean it’s working, right?
Vespa stammered and continued.

“…My name isn’t ‘that,’ ‘this,’ ‘lowly thing,’ ‘trash,’ ‘nothing,’ or ‘vermin.’ My name is Vespa Luciana. I want you to call me by my name.”
The blue mist sharpened slightly, forming more defined edges.
The second stage of magic: Vow.

Her wishes were being engraved into the mana.
“Sometimes, it’s hard serving you, my lady. I want to hear a thank-you.”
The blue mist started to solidify into a clearer form.

She didn’t want to hurt anyone—but her feelings of hurt and resentment were still conveyed.
It took the form of a soft, round sphere.
…The fact that even her manifested emotions were small and cute felt like a reflection of her personality.

Vespa shut her eyes tightly and murmured the rest.
“And—other people don’t exist just for your sake, my lady.”
She didn’t even fully understand what she was saying.

But one theme was clear.
She, too, had frustrations. She was not a tool to be used and discarded at Gray’s whim.
She was a person.

…So, she wanted to be seen as one.
“And—”
Most of all—

—Apologize to Ms. Vespa, my lady.
She was watching someone—someone who had said that to Gray—getting beaten.
So, for her too—

She was angry.
“—It’s not okay to hit people—!”
The moment she said that, her voice infused with a bit of real emotion, it was as if the world itself agreed. As if it shared her anger. As if it were angry for her.

The sphere floating before her eyes launched forward like a shooting star.
A white streak bright enough to sting the eye burned through the air as it flew toward Gray.
“……!”

Gray’s eyes widened as she swiftly drew the Holy Sword from behind her back.
The Holy Sword and the orb collided—and a blinding explosion swept across the entire sparring ground.
“KYAAAAAAAH—?!”

Ironically, Vespa—who had launched the attack—was the one who screamed and dropped to the floor, covering her head.
“M-my lady?! Are you okay?! W-what did I just do…?!”

Vespa’s panicked voice rang out in a flurry, but Gray simply stood there, frozen, staring blankly at her own hand.
As if she was still in shock from what had just happened.
Just now—

That absurd, laughable attack from Vespa—
Had caused her to feel threatened enough to draw her weapon.
A person she’d always dismissed as “nothing.”

“Looks like I won the bet.”
Carlyle’s voice dropped casually over the silence.
“……”

There was no way to refute that.
***
You could go on for days listing Gray’s faults. But even so, Carlyle always tried to speak kindly of her for one reason:

She had an unwavering consistency to her standards.
Just look at how she always honored the results of a bet she agreed to.
“…Sorry.”

Gray muttered gruffly, staring at the ground as she stood before Vespa.
She didn’t sound happy about it in the slightest.
But it was, unmistakably, an apology.

‘She really tried her best.’
By Gray’s standards, this was the equivalent of dropping to her knees and begging.
Considering that adult Gray once refused to apologize for a public incident and considered dueling instead, this was massive.

“Ah, n-no…”
Vespa fidgeted even more at the words.
She was clearly happy—but also incredibly uncomfortable.

‘Well, can’t be helped.’
Carlyle smiled bitterly to himself.
This was still the Hero, after all. He wasn’t expecting a miraculous transformation in one go.

Education isn’t something that happens overnight. You take the long road.
…At least, that’s what he thought.
“You were surprised, weren’t you. When I swung my sword.”

Then came her next words.
“I wanted to apologize back then, but I was so shocked I didn’t.”
“……”

“……”
Vespa—and even Carlyle, who had been the one demanding an apology—both stood stunned, staring at Gray.
‘What…’

Who are you?
You’re capable of communicating like a normal person?
“…I ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) heard what you said during the duel.”

Still staring at the floor, Gray spoke hesitantly.
“I didn’t pay attention to you at all. It didn’t even occur to me you’d be upset.”
“M-my lady, uh, um…”

Vespa’s eyes were spinning.
She had never seen Gray act this human before.
“Even if I’d known you were upset, I probably wouldn’t have cared that much.”

“……”
Ah, good.
So Gray hadn’t gone completely insane.

Both Carlyle and Vespa sighed in bizarre relief.
Gray let out a long breath.
“But… this time, I learned something. That even someone I never gave a second thought… could surprise me. That maybe I don’t always recognize someone’s worth.”

And so—
Now that she realized that.
“…It made me wonder what else I might be missing.”

Other values, hidden behind the walls of her arrogance.
She didn’t yet know what they were.
But at least, she was facing in the right direction now.

That’s why she said it.
“So since I’m apologizing anyway, I’ll say this too. I won’t overlook things like that again.”
As a start.

As one person to another.
She would listen.
“I’ll remember your name. Vespa Luciana.”

Vespa’s mouth fell open.
“…Thank you. For everything you’ve done for me.”
Carlyle’s mouth fell open too.

“My ladyyyy—!”
Vespa burst into tears and hugged Gray tightly.
“W-what are you doing?! You’re getting my clothes dirty! Let go—!”

…Of course, Gray freaked out and pushed her off.
But she didn’t draw her sword.
That alone—

Was proof she had changed.
***
“Why are you so quiet?”

That night, back at the dorm.
Carlyle addressed the unusually silent Holy Sword.
[You.]

“Yes?”
[…If I had met you a little earlier… would I have been able to talk with Vespa like that too?]
“……”

[Would I… have been able to keep her from dying like that?]
“I don’t know.”
It was something that hadn’t happened. So he didn’t know.

But what was clear—
“That was the past. It can’t be changed.”
[……]

“If the people here and now are happy, that’s all I need.”
The relationship between Gray and Vespa had changed.
It wasn’t complete—but at least the foundation for a better future had been laid.

“One step at a time. Regret won’t change what can’t be changed.”
[…True enough.]
“You’re surprisingly sentimental at times, Hero.”

[Maybe it’s you who’s unusually numb.]
“Huh?”
[You’ve said you’ve regressed multiple times. Then surely… you must also have regrets like I do.]

Even if something didn’t happen anymore.
Even if it was erased by regression.
The memories remain. And so do the emotions.

If she carried this much regret after a single regression, how much pain must Carlyle carry, after so many?
There had to be some wound, engraved so deeply in his soul it could never fade.
“……”

Carlyle was silent for a moment—then smiled bitterly.
“I don’t have anything like that.”
[No, surely there must be—]

“I said I don’t.”
The calm voice silenced the Holy Sword.
His expression didn’t change—but something instinctual warned her.

This was his reverse scale.
The one thing that must not be touched.
[…Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.]

“Eh, it’s fine.”
Carlyle replied in his usual playful tone, chuckling as he yawned.
Before his eyes, a new system window appeared.

[System Message]
▶ You have completed the quest: [Discipline]!
▶ Trait [Hero’s Companion] has been activated.
▶ The [Redemption List] has been updated!
[ ★ Arrogance 100% → 80% ]

▶ Rewards have been granted!
▶ Redemption List progress is high.
▶ The quest’s “Hidden Reward” has been unlocked!
“Oh.”
Carlyle stroked his chin as he read through the window.

The rewards were nice, but it was the last line that stood out the most.
Right—the quest had mentioned something about a hidden reward.
Apparently, the positive outcome had fulfilled the condition.

What would the reward be? Hopefully something good—
[System Message]
▶ A “Linked Quest” has been generated!
▶ Linked Quests are special missions tied to “Main Events.”
▶ Though lower in difficulty, completing them greatly impacts the Main Event!

‘…That’s actually great.’
From the wording, there was nothing to complain about.
Main Events probably referred to the most dangerous and critical content.

Most likely, stuff involving hell or demons.
Anything that could affect those would be worth doing.
You couldn’t be too prepared when dealing with things like that.

As Carlyle organized his thoughts, he waited for the next window to appear. Might as well see what the quest actually was.
If they were saying it was relatively easy, then maybe this wouldn’t be too bad—
[Quest Info]

▶ Help the Hero “Gray Chasefield” make a friend at the academy!
▶ Friends made: [ 0 / 1 ]
“…You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”