I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

Inside the barracks, filled with an awkward silence, Carlyle opened his mouth in a voice that sounded like he was dying.
"...Let me try to summarize."
Between Shiona and Leona, who were rolling their eyes in opposite directions, Carlyle’s voice, drenched in fatigue, quietly trickled out.

His expression was full of disbelief that he even had to say these words out loud.
"The thing we’re currently facing is a ‘Mental Body’—a phenomenon that very rarely appears during a Death March."
If he remembered right, they called it the “Black Omen.”

A special type of entity that drives nearby magical beasts into a berserk state just by existing.
A collective consciousness formed from the minds of magical beasts, or so the story went.
Most magical beasts had simplistic thought processes, driven only by instinct. But when such creatures gathered and fused together in one place, they could create something resembling a 'being.' Like a hive mind.

It was said to be an extremely rare occurrence, only observed in places like Death Marches where magical beasts exist in overwhelming numbers.
"...Mental Body? And what the hell is that?"
Leona blinked as she asked, and Carlyle ran a hand through his hair before replying.
"I’ve heard various things, but... the conclusion is: it’s immune to normal attacks."

"Uh, I’m a mage, though? If you give me some time, I can cast some serious spells."
"...They say ‘normal’ attacks of any kind don’t work."
Apparently, it wasn’t just physical attacks—even those created through supernatural abilities were ineffective.

Upon hearing this, Shiona shrugged her shoulders.
"So then, what’s the point?"
"They say if a being with naturally powerful magic resonates emotionally, it can emit an energy that’s able to harm it."

Shiona mouthed the words, dumbfounded.
"Sorry, I ain’t exactly the brightest. What the hell does that mean?"
"...If I, and you two—who are naturally powerful magic beings—emit a ‘positive force’ that contradicts the Black Omen’s negative force, then we can weaken it."

"..."
"If we don’t do that, there’s a real chance the entire subjugation force gets wiped out. That’s how powerful this thing is."
The name for it—

The ‘Power of Love’ between Carlyle and the two dragons.
...At least, that’s how the messenger had phrased it before handing him the report.
"..."

"..."
"..."
Only a horrible silence filled the barracks.
And Carlyle’s mental state was just about ready to collapse as well.

Shit.
Having finished his explanation, he rubbed his face dry with a motion full of self-loathing.
He had a feeling something was off ever since the sky turned black—just like Gray had said.

He just never imagined it would come back to bite him like this.
"...Ahaha."
Shiona barely managed to squeeze out a reply.

She scratched her nose, her face turning red—clearly flustered.
"But, well... I dunno-’mda. Being told to suddenly become close like this..."
...Well, he totally understood how she felt.

Even if someone said, ‘You have to like each other or we’re all screwed!’, Carlyle honestly didn’t know how else anyone was supposed to react.
"Ah, it’s not like I dislike Student Carlyle, okay? But that... even if it’s a positive emotion..."
"B-But... shouldn’t we at least try?"

Leona timidly offered that up, her voice hesitant.
"If we don’t, a lot of people might die or get hurt, right...?"
But her sentence trailed off and died in her throat.

Because Shiona didn’t even turn her head in that direction.
She was—
Perfectly.

Unmoving.
Completely ignoring her.
As if Leona didn’t even exist in this room.
Leona’s face hardened.

It was the expression of someone who, no matter how much they endured, couldn’t accept being treated like this.
"...Unni."
"..."

"Unni. I’m talking to you."
"..."
"You left without a word. I didn’t hear from you once in over 200 years, and I kept quiet about it. But seriously? You’re really gonna act like this?"

"..."
Even as Leona’s voice started to rise in anger, Shiona just scratched her head with indifference and stayed silent.
Anyone would find that infuriating.

Leona’s face twitched as she finally spat out a venom-laced sentence, her voice like a blade.
"...Do you even remember our promise?"

"You said you’d stay with me. That no matter what path I chose, you’d walk it with me."
"..."
Still, Shiona remained silent.

Eyes closed, not even glancing her way.
"...Ha."
Leona ran a hand through her hair.

"This is rich. I’m an idiot for being the only one who remembered."
"Don’t talk nonsense-’mda."
Shiona quietly muttered.

"...That childish promise doesn’t matter to me anymore."
"..."
"I have something far more important to deal with."

Leona froze for a moment.
Then, the storm hit.
The face beneath that blank expression erupted into a tidal wave of fury.

"You think that’s something you can just say—?!"
"..."
As Leona jumped to her feet, seething—

A voice echoed from the Holy Sword, utterly baffled.
[...Hey.]
Yes?

[The mood’s heavy, sure, but... isn’t this just a petty emotional spat?]
I mean, it kind of is.
Judging from what he’d heard—

Shiona had killed their father and vanished. What happened after that was unclear, but...
The tension between the sisters boiled down to lingering emotions.
Leona was upset Shiona had promised to stay by her side, then disappeared without a word.

Shiona assumed her sister hated her and was deliberately keeping her at a distance. Leona, on the other hand, thought Shiona was ignoring her.
A total breakdown of communication.
It felt like something that could be solved with a single honest conversation.

...Well, maybe it’s not quite that simple.
[What was that?]
Sometimes, things that look easy from the outside are hard as hell for the people actually involved.

[...Right.]
...The Hero had been the same.
Watching from the side, it always looked like one honest sentence could’ve fixed everything. But she had a knack for twisting things into complicated messes with all kinds of creative methods.

If she’d just once sincerely told Vespa “thank you.”
If she hadn’t torn apart Panhyma’s heart with those words about her lost sister.
If she’d only listened to Drexler’s plea to return to his homeland.

...If she hadn’t been so obsessed with the idea that she alone was the one who had to “save the world.”
That catastrophe in the previous round might never have ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ happened.
That’s why—I’ve changed my mind.

Gray had told him not to get too involved with these people.
But watching all this unfold, he realized he just couldn’t leave it alone.
[What did you say?]

Professor Shiona... she reminds me of the Hero.
The way she takes something simple and twists it into something difficult because she’s trapped in her own thoughts and circumstances.
It was the exact same problem Carlyle had tried so hard to fix across so many timelines.

When I see people like that, I can’t ignore them.
Carlyle gave a bitter smile.
I must really like the Hero deep down, huh?

[...…]
...
[..........................................]

...Hero?
The Holy Sword let out a loud, noisy silence.
If she had a body, she’d be opening and closing her mouth again and again, trying to say something but never following through.

[You...you bastard, how dare you, saying something like that, so lightly—]
...
Was her voice... trembling?

Could she really feel something that soft and tender?
You moved? Honestly, I wasn’t joking when I said I see you like a daughter, Hero.
[That one line killed it.]

...
[Focus on fixing this situation, maggot.]
...

Yeah. That sudden chill in her voice meant she was really done.
Still, she had a point.
Leona’s fury was reaching dangerous levels. If left unchecked, they really would come to blows.

Looks like I’ll have to step in now.
[How? This kind of personal stuff isn’t easy for a third party to meddle in.]
Um... somehow?

This sort of thing usually came down to improvisation.
At least, that’s what Carlyle thought—until:
[Hmm.]

Gray exhaled through her nose.
[Don’t do that. I have a better idea.]
A better idea?

[Didn’t they say you need to build a good relationship with those two anyway? I still hate the idea, but—]
Leona had already given him the hint he needed to take control of the situation.
[Dragons are instinctively attracted to strong people.]

Well, more precisely—
Not just strength, but the charisma to assert that strength.
That was what dragons were drawn to. Leona had said so herself.

In that case...
[Why don’t you put your charm on full display right here?]
...What?

[You’re pretty good at acting, aren’t you? Just do what I say.]
Well...
If anyone else tried it, maybe it wouldn’t work.

But if it was Carlyle, it might just do the trick.
[Women fall for those hidden depths, you know.]
...?

***
“—You’re ridiculous. I was a fool for ever thinking of you as real family! You selfish, lying, shallow—!”
Leona Libelle hurled her boiling fury into words and flung them at her sister.

“Yeah, yeah, think whatever you want-’mda.”
Shiona, on the other hand, kept brushing her off with indifference or cold retorts.
It had been like this for a while now.

Their conversation ran in circles. There was no sign of resolution.
“Um, guys, maybe we could all just calm down and talk this through—”
Carlyle was doing his best to mediate, but neither sister paid him any attention. Their emotions were already running too hot.

It was bad enough that—
“If this keeps up, you really might start fighting for real, so let’s all just take a deep breath—”
“Stay out of it!”

Trying to intervene with a nervous smile, Carlyle was shoved aside by sheer emotion.
And what followed...
Was definitely not what anyone expected.

Shoved by Leona’s outstretched arm, Carlyle tumbled and crashed to the ground.
Even if she wasn’t attacking him, dragons were a strong race. A simple shove was more than enough to send a human skidding across the floor like he’d been ground up.
Blood trickled down his forehead, where the skin had been scraped open.

“...”
“...”
Shiona and Leona froze, staring at him.

“A-Are you okay? You shouldn’t have jumped in like that—”
“Student Carlyle, this is a family matter-’mda. It’s better if you let us handle it—”
Those words came out like excuses.

Because unconsciously, both of them had thought: He’ll be fine. He’s that kind of guy.
Carlyle Belfast was the soft kind.
Gentle. Friendly. Always smiling with a warm laugh.

Even if you crossed a line, all it would take was a sincere apology and he’d forgive you. That kind of image.
So—
“Ladies.”

When he opened his mouth—
Both women instantly realized this isn’t normal.
The ever-smiling man’s voice—

“I believe I told you to stop.”
—was now ice-cold.
And in his eyes—

Was unmistakable disappointment and contempt.
A look no one ever thought they’d see on him.
...It was a face.

So cold, so unfamiliar, it sent a chill just to look at.
“...”
“...”

...Huh.
Shiona and Leona both froze in place.