I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated (LN) - Volume 15 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Sword Transformation

『The caravan is longer than I imagined.』

「Yeah, there are so many carriages.」

「Arf.」

Fran and Urushi murmured in agreement with my unintentional comment.

We were currently outside of Lady Blue, floating about twenty meters above the ground.

Fran, riding Urushi, was looking down at the long line of carriages from the air.

Today marked the beginning of the extracurricular survival training for the students at the Magic Academy, where Fran was both an instructor and a student. It involved transporting materials, and we were using forty carriages to travel to Vivian Lake.

Over two hundred students were participating, along with thirty instructors acting as guards. Fran, being treated as an instructor, was assigned a scouting role and was responsible for handling any dangerous magical beasts that might appear.

Conversely, for minor threats, the students were expected to handle them on their own as part of their training. Advanced students like those in the Special Operations Class took turns guarding the carriages during the journey. It was still considered part of their training even while on the move. That's the Magic Academy's practical training for you.

However, not all students were required to participate in combat. Some students barely left the carriages during the entire journey and were simply under constant guard. In fact, around thirty new students were accompanying this extracurricular survival training. It seemed to be a tradition of the academy, and even advanced students like those in the Special Operations Class had experienced it when they entered the academy.

There were similar joint outdoor activities with upperclassmen on Earth, so this seemed to be a similar event.

I saw Karna chatting with her classmates while their carriage had its canopy removed to be ready for emergencies. Each carriage had three new students and three upperclassmen on board. However, two upperclassmen were always guarding outside the carriage, taking turns to rest.

It seemed like they were gaining experience by handling both the new students and providing security.

Karna and her group's carriage was guarded by Carona's team. If Carona's group couldn't handle a situation, the instructors on the carriage platform would intervene, and if that still didn't work, Fran and Weena Rhyn were there.

『Now, let's go, too.』

「Yeah, Urushi.」

「Woof, Woof!」

For a while, I planned to stay vigilant from the air while riding Urushi.

As Urushi leaped into the air and began to run, I noticed the students below looking up at us.

It's not every day you see a giant wolf leaping through the sky. Urushi was particularly impressive, and it must have made quite a sight.

『When it comes to protecting, dealing with a swarm of smaller creatures seems more troublesome than having just one big one.』

「Like goblins?」

『And thieves or swarms of insect-types.』

The most dangerous situation would be dealing with a large swarm. If large magical beasts charged into the caravan, it would be a disaster. It might be better to eliminate the stronger ones early on.

『Make sure not to neglect reconnaissance.』

「Nn!」

「Woof!」

Several hours had passed since the departure. The caravan, carrying academy personnel, had passed the first rest stop and entered a forested area from the plains. Visibility here was extremely poor, and vigilance was now even more crucial than before. It would be a challenging stretch for the student escorts. It was evident that the overall tension had increased.

As for Fran, she was currently a bit away from the caravan. It wasn't that she was slacking off, though.

She was actually in the middle of her work.

「Haaah!」

「Giiii! Gigig!」

She was in combat with magical beasts inhabiting the forested area.

The current opponent was a Tholtol Mantis, a giant mantis with unusually long limbs. While its body was around seven to eight meters long, its limbs were probably over ten meters. Using those limbs, it skillfully moved through the dense forest canopy. Although the idea of a giant mantis might seem terrifying, its body was quite slender due to its ability to maneuver through the forest, resulting in relatively low defense. Its overall threat level was rated as "E" for us. They were just small fry to us, but for the students, they were formidable opponents.

The Tholtol Mantis had likely detected the presence and scent of many potential prey. It was approaching at considerable speed, prompting Fran to intercept it. Unusually for magical beasts, Fran possessed the martial skill of Scythe Arts.

She even demonstrated the feat of taking Fran's initial attack with her scythe. While it was meant as a test of her opponent's strength, it was quite an audacious move. Moreover, her scythe was imbued with a weak electric shock. If it weren't for Fran's immunity to lightning, she might have been paralyzed.

However, the magical beast's resistance only went so far. Fran, who identified the blind spots beyond the reach of her scythe, swiftly cut it in two from behind, causing it to collapse. While these creatures were troublesome enemies when fighting in deep forests due to their ability to attack from above, they were full of openings for those who could constantly launch aerial attacks like us.

『Now that we've taken care of the big one, let's head back to the carriage. It seems like they're dealing with goblins.』

「Understood.」

We were returning not to provide reinforcement but to heal any students who had suffered significant injuries. However, the opponents were just ordinary goblins, and there shouldn't be anyone seriously injured to the extent that they needed healing. The students in the Special Operations Class had the strength to handle this level of threat.

I had been watching from a distance, but there didn't seem to be any problems.

They quickly defeated the goblins and skillfully removed their horns and such. Their expressions remained composed, and it appeared that they were accustomed to this level of combat. However, the new students had pale faces.

Students who could remain calm like Karna were rare. In her case, she already had combat experience and the strength to defeat goblins. However, many of the children likely had no experience with combat. Thus, it was understandable that they would react this way when suddenly confronted with a battle against magical beasts.

「Master.」

『What is it?』

「Look over there.」

『Ah, the Heavenly Dragon's Resting Place. You can see it quite well.』

Fran seemed uninterested in the minor skirmish below and was looking up at the floating island high above.

Today, too, the Heavenly Dragon was nowhere to be seen. However, the sight of the floating island shrouded in white clouds never grew tiresome no matter how many times you looked at it. Fran and Urushi both gazed at the floating island with sparkling eyes. But soon, they shifted their gazes back to the ground and stared intensely into the depths of the forest.

「Master, Urushi, let's go!」

「Woof!」

『This time, it's a group. We'll take them all out at once.』

They had sensed the approach of magical beasts, ones far stronger than goblins. These were Assassin Apes, magical beasts skilled in striking from stealthy operations. While they were slightly larger than mountain gorillas, their threat level was also "E," the same as the massive Tholtol Mantis.

In reality, these creatures, with their swift movements and the ability to instantly kill humans, were more troublesome than the larger Tholtol Mantises. There were six of them, leaping from branch to branch using the tall trees as stepping stones, and they were heading rapidly towards the academy students.

Their way of masking their presence and their detection capabilities were on par with seasoned adventurers, and the students hadn't noticed their presence yet.

「Urushi, take the two on the right.」

「Woof!」

『Then, I'll take the two on the left.』

「Nn!」

Fran and I launched a preemptive attack on the quietly approaching group of Assassin Apes. Our way of masking our presence and our detection abilities were superior. With Fran's teleportation, the first one was quickly cut down, and it took less than a minute for them all to be defeated. Apparently, they hadn't even considered the possibility of being ambushed by us while in the forest. The faces of the dying apes were frozen in expressions of shock.

『We've encountered enemies with a threat level of 'E' or higher twice in this short period. It looks like we'll be quite busy until we reach the lake.』

「Nn!」

Fran nodded happily. It seemed like she had cleared her mind with her rampage against the magical beasts. Well, it was better than accumulating stress and getting frustrated.

And then, on the first night of the journey, the group from the Magic Academy set up camp in a large clearing in the middle of the forested area. They arranged the carriages in a circular formation along the outer edge of the clearing, serving as a makeshift wall, and pitched tents inside. The guards took turns patrolling outside the carriages.

In one corner of the camp, Fran had been summoned to Weena Rhyn's tent. As the head of the academy, her tent was quite large and luxurious. I had worried a bit about the two most powerful members of the group leaving their posts, so I left Urushi behind for patrol duty, but it turned out to be unnecessary.

「There are spirits here.」

『Hmm? Where?』

「Over there? And also over there.」

I looked in the direction Fran was pointing, but I couldn't sense anything. It seemed that I still didn't have the talent to perceive the presence of spirits. All I could see was the forest, and it looked completely empty.

『...I don't get it. Is that all there is?』

「There are a few others. Probably.」

『Are they strong?』

「I don't know.」

Even though her ability to sense spirits had grown stronger, Fran still couldn't discern what kind of spirits they were. I suspected that the spirit residing in the inn's great tree was of a relatively high rank. The old elf woman had referred to it as "Lord Spirit," and it had been around for over a thousand years.

However, Fran couldn't distinguish between the academy's lower-ranking spirits and the spirits from the inn at all. She didn't know their strength, attributes, or abilities, and it seemed like she could only faintly sense their presence. Since I couldn't sense spirits at all, I had to rely on Fran's clumsy explanation to imagine what it was like. It seemed like she could hear something akin to a faint sound emitted by the spirits. However, even with considerable concentration, she could only hear something like a faint ringing in her ears.

She determined the presence of the spirits based on the direction and intervals from which the sound emanated.

『Is it Weena Rhyn's spirits?』

「I don't know, but they've been in the same place all along.」

It seemed like there were multiple spirits, and it should be fine for us to leave the watch for a while. After all, they did the same thing every year, so they should be used to it. Fran's presence alone would boost their defensive capabilities, and her absence wouldn't pose a problem.

As we entered Weena Rhyn's tent, it became apparent that there was not only the High Elf mage but someone else present as well.

「...Zelos Reed.」

「...」

Seated on a chair placed behind Weena Rhyn, Zelos Reed was there. Beside him, as usual, was Romeo, the boy who continued to glare at Fran.

Although I had sensed their presence earlier, meeting them face-to-face still raised certain thoughts. Fran gritted her teeth slightly, as if trying to suppress her feelings. Well, her killing intent was leaking out quite a bit.

「No matter how much you've sealed my powers, leaving me in the academy without my presence? I had no choice but to restrain and bring you here.」

As Weena Rhyn had said, Zelos Reed had metal bracelets attached to both arms, restricting the movement of his arms. Furthermore, there seemed to be an effect that sealed his magical power, further suppressing Zelos Reed's abilities.

With Weena Rhyn standing right next to him in this state, he wouldn't be able to cause any mischief.

「...」

「...」

Fran and Romeo exchanged glares. Well, Fran wasn't glaring, but she couldn't help but pay attention when her hostility was so blatantly displayed. As a result, they found themselves locked in a stare-down.

In contrast, Zelos Reed hardly displayed any emotion when looking at Fran. He flinched for a moment, but soon his expression returned to a calm one. He probably decided to avoid getting involved as much as possible because anything he said would only cause friction. However, Fran didn't like his attitude. Well, she didn't like anything about Zelos Reed.

With an irritated look, Fran continued to glare at Zelos Reed.

Though she wouldn't erupt in anger anymore, she couldn't suppress her feelings when faced with an opponent she wanted to kill right now, if she could. Romeo, who was clinging to Zelos Reed's leg and looking up at Fran, broke the tense atmosphere.

「Don't bully Uncle!」

「I'm not... bullying him.」

「Liar! I know you are!」

「Hmph.」

Fran also refrained from arguing with Romeo. She understood that Romeo wasn't at fault. Besides, Fran, who was currently emanating killing intent, would be quite a frightening presence for a child. She seemed to have a slight admiration for the boy who was trying to stand up to such an opponent in order to protect Zelos Reed.

However, it wasn't a situation to praise. In the end, she didn't know how to deal with it. She turned her gaze away from Romeo with a "hmph" and asked Weena Rhyn why she had been summoned.

「Do you need something?」

「Yes, it's about the upcoming escort.」

I thought the purpose was to introduce Zelos Reed and Romeo, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

While showing a rough map of this country, Weena Rhyn explained the terrain ahead. Beyond the forest area, there was a plain inhabited by large magic beasts, where the students would conduct their hunt.

The reason Weena Rhyn had called Fran was for the planning of this.

「Our target is the Slouthtus. It's a tough and strong magic beast, but its movements are extremely slow, and even students should be able to hunt it with some effort.」

Slouthtus was a type of herbivorous magic beast that would hunker down in its shell and endure when faced with strong opponents. It had few means of long-range attacks, and as long as precautions were taken against a few attacks, it was a relatively easy magic beast to hunt.

Its threat level was E, but with proper preparation, even students should be able to defeat it. There were magical tools for immobilization and defense, so preparations could be considered complete.

「I have no role in this?」

「There's no need for you to deal with the Slouthtus. However, if you can smell the scent of Slouthtus blood, many other magic beasts will approach. Goblins, in particular, appear every year.」

Fran's role was to defeat these opportunistic magic beasts.

「Understood.」

「And this man will also be working.」

「Why?」

「Since we have usable manpower, it should be used for the safety of the students, right?」

「...I understand.」

Fran nodded quietly.

Her face showed a subtle expression that was hard to describe.

『Is this okay?』

（...I don't know.）

As she replied, Fran herself seemed to not fully understand her own feelings.

When it was for the sake of the students, she couldn't really refuse. Plus, if she thought of it as forced labor or serving as a meat shield, it felt like a form of punishment. It was more like a kind of labor. However, she still had a sense of aversion to seeking help. Inside Fran's heart, denial and affirmation swirled, and she couldn't make sense of it.

On the third night since leaving the academy, the group on their extracurricular survival training had arrived at Vivian Lake as planned. The events of the second day, such as turtle hunting, procuring food, and the large-scale goblin attack, had been somewhat challenging, but according to the teachers, it was all within the expected range.

They were discussing it with smiles, as it was the usual routine for them. In contrast, the students' faces showed signs of deep fatigue. It wasn't just because of the long journey but also because they had been involved in battles.

Moreover, on the second night, they didn't make camp. They had to set up camp reluctantly in the dangerous forested area where traveling at night was risky, but they continued their march without stopping in the plains where nighttime marching was possible. It was probably also due to their experience. Even among the escort students who took turns resting during such conditions, they seemed very sleepy. The teachers, who should have had a more challenging time, seemed energetic, which could be attributed to the difference in stats and experience.

Fran? Fran was doing well. After all, she had taken a nap on Urushi's back. Of course, she was in a state where she could wake up if any magic beasts approached. Due to her evolution, Urushi no longer needed sleep and could remain active for several days. Well, he liked sleeping in general, so he usually slept normally. However, his nature was quite reliable in cases like this. In fact, he hadn't slept a wink since they set off, but he was full of energy.

『We're back in Seftent.』

「Yeah.」

It was a town by the lake where they had stopped on the way from the Kranzel Kingdom. It was a town with various events, such as completing requests and causing disturbances.

The place where the group from the Magic Academy had set up their tents was next to the town of Seftent. There were no outer walls, but it was level and seemed like an easy place for camping. Every year, they used this place as a base for their training at Vivian Lake.

「Everyone looks sleepy.」

『It doesn't seem like they can serve as escorts like this.』

The escort students, who were fighting off sleep, managed to stand guard somehow. With their current condition, they might even miss a suspicious person passing right in front of them. They would probably be scolded later. There were familiar faces among them.

「Carona, that was dangerous just now.」

『I've never seen that diligent girl doze off before.』

It was more like dozing off than falling asleep. She had apparently woken up from her nap when she saw Fran vigorously paddling the boat. She looked around in a panic and seemed relieved that nothing unusual had happened.

In fact, Fran had proposed using earth magic to create walls around the campsite, but Weena Rhyn had rejected the idea. It seemed that experiencing camping and guard duty in a tired state was one of the purposes of this extracurricular training outside the academy.

Having walls would diminish the students' sense of tension, and if the magic beasts didn't show up at all, it wouldn't serve as a warning to the students. It was Spartan, but there was some logic to it.

All we could do was to look around the surroundings to ensure that no large magic beasts appeared. Since we were near the town, it didn't seem likely that dangerous monsters would suddenly appear, but there was a possibility they would be attracted by the smell of numerous potential prey. However, it seemed that wouldn't be necessary.

「Master, many are coming.」

Fran pointed out a group of adventurers walking from the town towards the campsite. There seemed to be around thirty of them.

They didn't particularly exude hostility, and their casual conversation indicated that they were at ease.

『They are adventurers from Seftent. They've probably been hired by the academy as escorts.』

「Jill is there.」

『Indeed. The guildmaster himself is here for a visit.』

At the forefront was a petite elderly woman. However, the magical power emanating from her was that of a top-tier mage. Among the adventurers, from rookies to veterans, she was likely the strongest. She was Seftent's guildmaster, Granny Jill. She was also the one who had asked Fran to participate in mock battles with the adventurers.

Looking down at her from Urushi's back, Fran shifted her gaze into the empty space. However, there was nothing there except the darkness of the night.

『What's wrong?』

「Spirits have come.」

『What?』

Immediately after Fran spoke, a faint, diffuse cluster of light appeared as if welling up from the empty darkness. It was about the size of a bowling ball, and its brightness was about that of a small light bulb.

「Fran, could you come to the tent?」

「Understood.」

『I see, it's a technique to make spirits visible.』

The greatest advantage of using spirits was their stealthiness. However, there were inconvenient situations where that wasn't enough. For example, when using them as messengers. In cases of emergencies, guiding people or warning enemies, it was difficult with invisible spirits. Therefore, there was a technique to make spirits visible to anyone. It was a skill that any spirit user could use.

However, imitating things like projecting your voice far away could only be done by advanced spirit users.

Right now, Weena Rhyn had communicated through spirits, and it seemed like quite an advanced technique. When they were in Alessa's town, Guildmaster Klimt did the same thing, but it turned out it was actually quite a difficult skill.

Following the spirits, Fran headed to Weena Rhyn's tent. Outside, Weena Rhyn and Granny Jill were exchanging greetings. Among the surrounding adventurers, there were some faces Fran had seen during the mock battle. However, the boy who had directed hostility towards Fran was nowhere to be seen. Well, it was probably more convenient that way. They didn't want to be bothered by strange things during their guard duty assignment.

「Thank you for your cooperation this year, Weena Rhyn-sama.」

「Yes, please take care of us again this year.」

The two of them shook hands. At first glance, Granny Jill seemed more experienced and imposing, but the reality was the opposite. In Granny Jill's words, there was a hint of reverence and respect.

「Starting tomorrow, I'd like to conduct water training. How's the situation? The lake seems a bit noisy, doesn't it?」

「As expected of Weena Rhyn-sama. You already knew?」

「Spirits informed me.」

「Lately, there have been unusual occurrences at the lake. It doesn't seem to be business as usual...」

『Partner, what's going on?』

「Old man, it seems they've arrived.」

『It's finally happening...』

The partner was gazing out of the inn's window.

It was nighttime. Stars shone in the sky, and the curtain of darkness had descended.

However, the partner should be able to feel it for sure. The presence of many people beyond the darkness of the night.

Though an E-Rank adventurer, there weren't many people with such abilities. Especially the ability to sense presences and danger had shown remarkable growth as a result of years of fighting alone.

On the contrary, since I became this body, my sensing ability had significantly diminished.

It's probably because my survival instincts and animal instincts have dulled, being in this body. In exchange, I've become able to feel things I couldn't before.

I try to sense the presence by focusing my consciousness. Though not as precise as my partner, if I concentrate, I can distinguish the presence.

I see, there are a lot of people's presences outside the town. It's finally here.

Ten years... It feels like an eternity and yet, it also feels like it passed in the blink of an eye. But time can't be turned back now. I have to prepare myself.

『Seems like Romeo is there too.』

「Yeah, he's there. Seems like he's crying without knowing anything. It's irritating.」

The partner's face, talking about Romeo, reflects the frustration in their words.

『Don't say that. At his age, it's only natural, right? To that child, everything he's seen is his whole world.』

「True...」

『Near Romeo, there's a damn high elf too.』

Just like before, huh? As a preparation for when the time comes, they brought someone from the Magnolia lineage.

We were the ones who leaked information about Romeo and attracted the high elf. We thought it was better than being captured by Zelyse again and treated as experimental animals.

But was it really the right decision? That high elf, in the end, is interested in the sealing technique within Romeo. At this rate, we might repeat the same mistake... No, it was to prevent that, that we made preparations. We're absolutely fine.

「It's obvious, but their presence is incredibly strong. Truly befitting of a high elf.」

『I'd love to kill them, but it's probably impossible for us right now.』

「That person is too strong. At this age, I've finally come to understand the extent of a high elf's monstrosity.」

『...』

Last time, they were the one who killed my partner. And this time, they might do it again.

That was the one thing that had to be prevented.

However, in the face of my partner talking about the high elf, I couldn't see any disgust or hatred. On the contrary, it seemed like they were genuinely praising.

『Can you forgive that person?』

「At that time, it was the most certain way.」

『That's true, but...』

「This time, I'll prevent it.」

『This time, unlike before, Zelyse hasn't obtained Romeo's bloodline power. I'm sure we'll figure something out.』

「We'll make it work.」

That weak-willed child has finally started to speak up.

「Fran is here too, as expected.」

『She was here before too.』

「Yeah.」

『Don't make that face. This time is different from before. It seems they've already met Romeo and the others.』

「I understand. But...」

My partner's face contorted with a hateful expression, even exuding killing intent.

To me, it was Weena Rhyn who was far less forgivable, but it seemed different for my partner. They held strong resentment against the daughter of the black cat tribe.

Seeing that, I couldn't help but have mixed feelings. It's only natural for that black cat tribe girl to hate me and come after my life. She had taken away someone precious to me.

I have lived a life of accepting it. Resentment and being resented. That continuing chain of negativity, that whirlwind of bloodshed, brings more and more conflicts to me. As a result, if I am to be vanquished as an enemy, then so be it. I shall accept it. However, even if I tell my partner not to hold grudges, they won't forgive their opponent.

And thus, the chain of negativity continues. Even after I decay away. What I have done...

「...?」

『Uncle!』

「Oh, sorry, Romeo. I was lost in thought for a moment.」

『I'm not Romeo anymore.』

「Right, my apologies, Sierra.」

『Are you thinking about the seal of the Great Beast?』

「It's a bit different, but for now, it's better to focus on the seal.」

『The one we need to be most cautious of is Zelyse's presence, right?』

「I don't know where that scumbag is. Not even sure if they're nearby.」

『They were here last time. It's highly likely they're here this time too.』

Alchemist Zelyse. A man who acts on his desires without restraint. He doesn't care how many sacrifices it takes to achieve his goals. In fact, he takes pleasure in increasing his notoriety by having more sacrifices.

「Before, I was used by Zelyse. But now, I can stand up to them.」

『That's right. But that bastard won't let his guard down. Even in the most advantageous situations, he's got a trump card to turn the tables.』

「Yeah.」

『Moreover, I don't know how much I can resist him in my current state. Depending on the situation, he might have planted something.』

「Yeah, true.」

I think it's because of the magic stone and the sword implanted by that Zelyse that I've become this convenient body. That meticulous Zelyse. It wouldn't have been surprising if he had prepared a curse to control me, anticipating this outcome.

「Can the current Zelyse use it? The current Romeo is a different person from the previous Romeo—meaning me, and just like that, the current Zelyse is a different person from the previous Zelyse. He doesn't have the memories of messing with Uncle's body.」

『That's true. But it's better to assume he can use it, so we're prepared when the time comes.』

Weena Rhyn. Romeo. Zelos Reed. Fran. As the key players converge on the stage of destruction, the whereabouts of Zelyse remain unknown.

Nevertheless, we will prevent the catastrophe. That's what we've spent the last eight years working toward.

「The fleet seems suspicious. Let's check again for any anomalies.」

『Yeah, let's do that.』

This time, I'll save my partner for sure.

The day after arriving at Vivian Lake.

The academy students formed groups of ten and scattered around the outskirts of Seftent Town. They were apparently gathering medicinal herbs and subduing Threat Level F magical beasts. These were proper requests from the Adventurer's Guild. Each group had a registered student from the Adventurer's Guild, while the other students were considered their companions.

Not only the Special Combat Class but also students from advanced classes often engaged in activities as adventurers. For them, these tasks might seem like their usual, unremarkable requests, but it wasn't such a simple matter.

In the vicinity of Lady Blue and Vivian Lake, the vegetation, wildlife, and climate were quite different. If you assumed everything would be the same as usual, you might run into some difficulties. Well, each group had an instructor and an adventurer accompanying them, so as long as there were no irregularities, the danger would be minimal.

「Charles.」

「Fran. Nice to meet you.」

「Nice to meet you too, Black Lightning Princess-san. It's reassuring to have you with us.」

Fran was also assigned as the escort for one of the groups. The accompanying adventurer was a Rank E young adventurer.

It seemed that the instructors and adventurers were balanced so that strong adventurers were paired with weaker instructors and vice versa. Therefore, it was likely that Charles, the weakest instructor, was paired with Fran, the strongest instructor. Moreover, whether it was intentional or not, Carona and Karna were in the same group.

「Nice to meet you. Fran-san.」

「Mm.」

「I'm also happy to be with Fran-san again.」

At first, the students seemed anxious when they saw Charles' seemingly unreliable appearance, but they returned to smiling when they found out that their accompanying instructor was Fran. The upperclassmen knew Fran's abilities. However, the newcomers still appeared anxious, as they seemed to see Fran as nothing more than a rookie adventurer. They might think of her as an excellent beast tamer since she was riding Urushi, but she hadn't shown her true strength yet. Urushi was currently hidden in the shadows, and only Fran was visible. Consequently, it appeared as if the rookie duo consisted of Charles, who seemed like a beginner, and Fran, who was just a child. It was understandable that they felt uneasy, but they had to endure it as part of their training.

Currently, Fran and her third team were tasked with collecting medicinal herbs and subduing a pack of wolves. They were located on the mountainside, a short distance away from the lake.

Carona walked at the front while looking at the map. Although the tasks could be completed quickly with our assistance, this time the students had to do it themselves. We observed without interfering.

「Let's collect herbs around the stream.」

Karna responded with an anxious expression to Carona's words. She must have been given various precautions beforehand.

「Eh? But is it okay to get close to the water?」

「You shouldn't get close to the lake, but a stream like this should be fine. Right, Charles-san? If there's a river ahead, it should be okay to approach, right?」

「Eh? Ah, yes, that's right. It should be fine to get closer to the stream ahead.」

「Thank you. Let's head in that direction then.」

「Yes.」

Carona did well. She casually brought up the information about the stream. The map Carona had was copied from the Adventurer's Guild in Seftent, but its accuracy was uncertain. Some rivers disappeared depending on the season, and if the information was outdated, there might be no river at all. However, Charles had unintentionally revealed the existence of a stream, making it certain that there was one. That is if Charles hadn't deliberately lied.

Well, it was probably just a slip of the tongue. Besides, it seemed like Charles hadn't even noticed that he gave a hint. He was chatting casually with Carona. This could have easily led to revealing more information.

「Is Modoki really that frightening?」

「Of course. If you ever come across Modoki, absolutely do not try to fight it.」

During this extracurricular survival training, there were several restrictions imposed on the students. One of them was to stay away from Vivian Lake. This rule was not set by the academy but was requested by the Adventurer's Guild. The frequency of appearances of a certain magical beast had increased, making it too dangerous.

Originally, there was a unique species of monster called the Vivian Guardian in this lake. It was a rare monster found only in this lake in the entire world. However, records of it being hunted were nearly nonexistent.

First of all, it was incredibly gentle. It never left its territory, and it would never initiate contact as long as you stayed on your side. Even if you entered its territory, it would only appear with a few others to block your path. If you ignored them and tried to proceed, you would be attacked, but you still wouldn't be killed. Instead, you'd be rendered powerless and thrown onto the nearby land.

However, that didn't mean it could be hunted down easily. If subjected to a powerful attack, it would transform into an aggressive form, and every Guardian in the vicinity would do the same. Once they turned into their aggressive form, they wouldn't stop until they had eliminated all humans from the area, sometimes even involving unrelated fishing boats and adventurers.

Its threat level was classified as E. Since it didn't initiate attacks, its threat level was estimated to be low. Moreover, there were few records of battles, so its exact strength wasn't well understood. However, based on what Granny Jill had seen when she was young and witnessed the aggressive form, the threat level when they were in a group was considered at least a B.

When we say threat level B, we're talking about magical beasts that could potentially put a country in jeopardy.

The reason it wasn't publicized by the guild was that spreading information about this rare magical beast could attract poachers. They typically kept this information hidden and enforced no-entry zones in their habitats. Well, normally, such magical beasts wouldn't pose much of a danger.

However, currently, something abnormal was happening with the Vivian Guardian.

An unusual type of creature, known as "Modoki," was coming out of its territory and attacking people. Originally, it should have had a beautiful, semi-transparent appearance, with everything from its shell to its tentacles being translucent. However, Modoki had a dirty brown color, and even if you defeated it, the surrounding Guardians remained calm.

At this point, you'd think it was a different species, but its shape, size, and some aspects of its ecology were too similar. It was undoubtedly the same species. The adventurers in the area had taken to calling this abnormal variant "Modoki."

「I'd like to see Modoki once, but it seems impossible.」

「Oh, that's obvious! Besides, there hasn't been much research done on it, and we don't really know the details. Please, never get close to it.」

「I understand that. But aren't scholars researching it? Hasn't there been any progress in the research?」

「Yeah, that's right. They don't even know why they leave their territory or why they target commercial fleets. It's all a mystery.」

「Are they targeting commercial fleets? Is that true?」

「Well, it seems like it at this stage. The locations where they've been spotted are always near commercial fleets, and their movements seem to be directed towards the fleets.」

That's quite a precarious situation, isn't it? This fleet supports the livelihoods in the areas around this lake to a significant extent, and if the fleet were to be annihilated, the nearby towns and villages could be in serious trouble.

Charles doesn't seem to think it's that serious, but depending on the situation, the training might be cut short. I should also keep an eye out for this Modoki.

As we continued talking about Modoki, we soon arrived at the stream. Carona and the others started searching for medicinal herbs there. Then, one student exclaimed with joy.

「Look! Isn't this a type of medicinal herb?」

「Oh, it's the Scarletwater Grass! It's quite rare right now, so it's expensive!」

We had collected Scarletwater Grass before. Back then, there was talk of it being in short supply, and it seems like it's still scarce. Scarletwater Grass should be an effective remedy for a specific endemic disease in this country, but I wonder if the infection rate of that disease is increasing?

I asked Fran to inquire about this matter, but it seemed that Charles also didn't know much about it.

「There's nothing special about this area. But it seems like there's an increased demand in the eastern part of the country. You all came from the Mage Academy, right? Don't you know the details?」

『No, we haven't heard anything about the spread of an endemic disease.』

「I see.」

「What about Carona?」

「I don't think there's any particular issue at the academy either. Just as in previous years, a few new students from other countries may have contracted it.」

Carona also seemed unaware of the disease being prevalent.

「Is it spreading in other towns?」

「No, Fran-san, that's impossible.」

This endemic disease tends to affect children more easily, and during outbreaks, the number of patients at the Mage Academy inevitably increases. On the flip side, it was impossible for it to be spreading in other places if it wasn't spreading at the academy.

「So where is it spreading?」

「I don't know that either. Maybe it's only spreading in the coastal areas further east.」

Oh, by the way, Fran is fine. The medicine made from Scarletwater Grass can also serve as a preventive measure, and I've already given it to Fran.

「Karna, what's on your mind?」

「Eh? Oh, it's nothing, just something I was curious about. I was thinking that if I could procure the scarce medicine, I might make a profit.」

「Wow, you're quite the student from the academy. To come up with that from our current conversation.」

「Well, I am the daughter of a trading company.」

Karna, who laughed and said that, had a somewhat dissatisfied expression on her face. The locals found it amusing, but perhaps Karna, as a foreigner, felt something similar to us.

Carona and the others achieved their objective of collecting the medicinal herbs required for the task, but their faces displayed not just happiness but something more.

Their group was simultaneously tasked with collecting medicinal herbs and dealing with a request to subdue wolves. However, the wolf hunting was not going well. While around the academy, wolves dug burrows in the plains, but in this area, they had nests in the forest, often hiding at the base of trees.

If they didn't know this, finding them was quite challenging. If they had asked at the Adventurer's Guild reception, they would have known immediately. Even Carona and the others, who had thought as far as obtaining a map at the guild, didn't seem to have expected the wolves' behavior to be so different.

Charles, their guardian, had an indescribable expression. He wanted to teach the students about the wolves' behavior, but doing so wouldn't provide them with any experience. He wanted to teach but couldn't. He must be feeling quite frustrated deep down.

I think the time they were searching for medicinal herbs by the stream was when they were closest to the wolves. I almost felt like telling them.

Urushi was hidden in the shadows, so the antipathy skill he possessed wasn't affecting them. If that skill were to activate, Carona and the others would definitely not be able to find the wolves. During this escort, Urushi would have to stay in the shadows as much as possible.

We continued to follow the students while remaining vigilant for any approaching magical beasts.

Today, we've only had one battle so far. That was against a Lesser Wyvern in the distance, which I took down instantly with teleportation.

However, over the past few days, we've had some decent fights, so Fran doesn't seem irritated today. It's much more open here compared to the stifling atmosphere of the town. It might be that Fran, who was a bit quick-tempered recently, didn't get to enjoy satisfactory battles. Now, it might feel like she's having a picnic with Carona and Karna. I feel bad for Carona and the others, who are always on edge, but for Fran, it probably doesn't feel much different from taking a leisurely stroll.

As we continued to move, Charles issued a warning.

「Oh, please don't get any closer to the lake.」

「Oh my, are we already at that point?」

「Yes.」

While Modoki sightings were more common in deeper areas, there had been a few reports of attacks on people near the lakeshore. That's why the Adventurer's Guild had prohibited approaching the lake entirely for the safety of the students.

However, this was merely a consideration and response to the Mage Academy students. They couldn't deprive the local residents of their livelihoods, nor could they impose strict restrictions on ship traffic. The result of that was the scene unfolding before us.

The next person to notice was Carona. Or should I say, she noticed it a bit too late? This was undoubtedly going to be troublesome.

「Uh? Hey, that ship is under attack!」

「Oh, really!」

A cargo transport ship was being attacked by Modoki.

Carona and Karna screamed, and it seemed like the other students also noticed the unusual situation.

「Wait, stop! Don't go there!」

Charles desperately tried to hold back the students who were about to run. However, that didn't convince the children.

「But, if we wait, the ship will sink!」

「That's right! We can help from where we are!」

「Hey, you guys, calm down!」

「We won't be able to help even if we go!」

Some students argued that they should go to the rescue, but the students who recalled the information about the Modoki opposed it. However, those opposed to the rescue were somewhat hesitant because the students advocating for it were well-intentioned. Even the opposing students probably wanted to help if they could.

However, if the students were to go, they would undoubtedly be killed by the Modoki.

（Master, we should go.）

『Yeah, if we leave it alone, the students might go out of control.』

（Mm.）

『Urushi, I'm counting on you here.』

「Woof!」

When Urushi, who had jumped out from Fran's shadow, appeared, the students' attention was drawn to him.

「I'll go rescue them. Urushi will stay here, so don't worry.」

「Eh? But...」

The new students who hadn't seen Fran's abilities yet looked at her with a questioning gaze, but it seemed the upperclassmen understood.

「Please!」

「We're counting on you!」

「Nn.」

The mast had already been broken, and Modoki's tentacles were clinging to the deck. It seemed like we needed to hurry.

『We'll jump at once!』

「Got it!」

We used a long jump to teleport directly above the ship. Looking down from above, we could see the dire state of the ship. There were large holes in the deck and the sides, and even if they managed to get rid of the Modoki, the ship would sink quickly.

『Someone's floating on the lake. Are they the crew?』

「They're still alive.」

『Is the Modoki only targeting the ship...?』

Ignoring the crew members who seemed to have been thrown into the lake, the Modoki continued to attack the ship. Did it not have a habit of eating humans? Just as I was thinking that, I saw one of the men who had remained on the ship being coiled up and lifted by the tentacles.

『That guy's in trouble!』

「I'll save him!」

Fran used her aerial leap and made a mad dash towards the ship. The Modoki, having noticed the appearance of a new enemy, extended its tentacles, but Fran managed to dodge them and landed on the deck.

「Ha!」

She cut through the tentacles, rescuing the man who had been on the verge of being dragged into the lake.

The man had fallen from a height of about five meters onto the deck, and he seemed to be in pain, but he probably didn't have any major injuries. The tentacle that had held onto his body had apparently served as some form of cushion.

「Are you okay?」

「Yeah, I'm fine.」

「Just wait here for a moment.」

Leaving the man behind, Fran jumped out again. To save everyone, we had to do something about the Modoki.

『Fran, don't use thunder-based attacks. You'll involve the crew.』

「Understood. Then, I'll shoot them down.」

『Roger!』

In response to Fran's intentions, I instantly changed my form. I wielded a one-handed sword with a blade like a conical spearhead, suitable for throwing. It could be likened to a downsized mounted spear.

「Haargh!」

『Let's go!』

Fran swung me down while airborne, using her entire body as a springboard and hurling me straight down. At the same time, I activated Telekinetic Catapult. Fran's full-power throw, wind magic, Telekinetic Catapult—combined, they turned me into a super-fast projectile that pierced through the Modoki's body in an instant.

Even its hard shell and its flesh, which should have absorbed the impact, were like plywood before us.

Thanks to the concentrated power, there was no collateral damage in the vicinity. The crew members floating on the lake didn't seem to be affected by the shockwaves.

The fake Modoki's body, with a gaping hole bored through it, was melting away, making squelching sounds. Come to think of it, this thing couldn't yield materials or magic stones. It seems it just melts away like this.

「Before other Modoki come, let's help everyone.」

『Yeah. Let's get them to the shore for now. The ship seems to be done for.』

「Nn!」

But it looked like an ordinary ship. Why did it get attacked by the Modoki? Was there some reason for it? Or did the Modoki indiscriminately attack anything big and moving? It's a mystery.

I tried to examine various things while rescuing the crew, but I couldn't figure out the cause.

Now, I wanted to hear from the crew. The five crew members saved by Fran were groaning on the ground. Some of them had drunk water, but it shouldn't be life-threatening.

「Young lady, you saved us...」

「The Modoki came all the way to this place...」

「Yeah, the cargo...」

The captain, the oldest among them, lamented as he gazed at the sinking ship.

「Are there cargoes that can't get wet?」

「Grains are probably in trouble. But we need to recover the Crimsonwater Elixir at least. We're short on it. It's packed in sturdy boxes, and there should be intact bottles.」

「Crimsonwater Elixir?」

「It's a medicine made from Crimsonwater Grass, developed recently. Its effectiveness against endemic diseases is similar to the previous tablets, but it's said to be more potent when made into a liquid.」

It seemed that the new medicine was loaded on that ship. Given the shortage of the medicine, it wouldn't be easy to give up.

「We'll probably have to rely on adventurers to retrieve the medicine... In a place with few magical beasts.」

I wonder if that's the case. Thanks to the Modoki, other creatures seemed to have fled for now, and we couldn't sense any presence. However, they would likely return after some time.

（Master）

『Shall we go?』

（Nn）

We can retrieve it ourselves right now.

「Where is the medicine?」

「Huh? It's in the starboard warehouse. Right around where the Modoki bastard was clinging.」

The captain pointed to a large hole in the side of the ship. It seemed that the water had started to flow in rapidly after the Modoki disappeared. There shouldn't be any problems over there. In fact, a large hole would make it easier to get in.

「Wait a moment.」

「Oh, young lady?」

Fran lightly waved to the surprised captain and flew out again.

『First, let's try to see if we can store the ship itself.』

「Oh, I see.」

That would be the fastest if it worked. However, we couldn't store the ship itself. Perhaps there were creatures inside the ship. Even if they weren't human, simply having fish or rodents would make it impossible to store it in dimensional storage.

「No good...」

『In that case, I'll handle breathing. Fran, use your water magic for transportation.』

（Understood）

From the hole created by the Modoki, we jumped into the ship's interior. The inside was already filled with water, and about half of the cargo had been submerged. Fran landed on a wooden box that was halfway submerged in water and looked around the storage room.

「Which one is it?」

『Hmm...』

I had heard it was a magic medicine, so I tried to use mana detection, but it didn't work well.

I sensed a small amount of magic from the water in this room. Perhaps the bottles of Crimson Water Medicine have broken, and their contents might have dissolved into the water.

But something feels off. I'm not sure what's strange about it.

『We have no choice. Let's check the labels on the boxes.』

「Nn.」

I checked the boxes that weren't submerged in water yet, but there was no Crimson Water Medicine. Well, in this situation, it's better to store all the boxes and check later.

『Let's just store them all for now.』

「Understood.」

We started collecting the cargo from above the water and then below it. However, Fran, who had entered the water, soon resurfaced. She didn't seem too worried, but she had a slightly surprised expression.

『What's wrong?』

「...The magic is different.」

『Different?』

「It's... working a bit too well.」

『What do you mean?』

Upon further explanation, it seemed that the output of her magic was higher than she expected. It was a minor issue, but when she tried to manipulate the water to move about ten centimeters underwater, it moved a few millimeters more than she estimated. Normally, it wouldn't be a concern, but Fran, who had gained a high level of magic control through training, noticed a slight difference.

『Perhaps some other magic potions are leaking besides the Crimson Water Medicine.』

It probably wasn't poison since Fran's danger sense didn't activate, but it was still somewhat eerie. Let's just finish collecting everything and get out of here. I would handle underwater tasks, and we quickly collected the cargo.

I tried using water magic as well, and indeed, there was something off. It wasn't that the activated water magic was strange; rather, there seemed to be an issue with the water itself that was being manipulated. It was highly likely that some sort of magic potion had leaked.

Or could it be the influence of the Modoki that dissolved into the water? That seemed possible too.

『Anyway, let's hurry up and escape.』

「Nn.」

We used teleportation to return quickly to the lakeshore. When the captain and his crew saw us, they rushed over with relieved expressions.

「Are you okay? We just need to retrieve the medicine! Don't do anything reckless!」

「It's okay. More importantly, I brought the cargo.」

「What? Wait, what you did just now was teleportation... Could it be that you can use space-time magic?」

「Nn. Can I put it here?」

「Ah, sure. Please.」

They had already selected some of the crew members who were in good shape to head to Seftent for help. They expected the rescue to arrive soon.

However, as Fran stacked up the wooden boxes, the captain's expression went through a series of changes. First, he looked joyful, then puzzled, followed by a frantic expression, and finally, he was utterly shocked. When space-time magic was at a low level, its effect was very weak. It wouldn't have been strange for an item box to be the size of a small box.

As a captain, he must have thought we had located only the boxes containing the Crimson Water Medicine and retrieved them. But we had collected all the cargo. He looked at the nearly thirty wooden boxes in front of him, going past joy. After all, it would be troublesome to transport them.

「Is this okay?」

「Ah, yes... Thank you so much.」

He's in quite a predicament. Nevertheless, he still expressed his gratitude.

However, there was nothing more we could do at this point. We were currently in the middle of escorting the students. It was an emergency situation, so we had separated temporarily, but we needed to return to the students as soon as possible. Ideally, I would have liked to transport the cargo to Seftent, but that would have meant failing in our duty as escorts.

Before returning, I asked about something that had been bothering me - the Modoki attacks. However, there was no recollection of any such attacks. From what I could see, there were only food supplies and Crimson Water Medicine on board. While the Crimson Water Medicine was suspicious, similar medicines had existed for a long time. It seemed unlikely that the Modoki would target it.

Regarding the discomfort with water magic, they weren't sure about it either. At least, there were no other magic potions on board besides the Crimson Water Medicine. In that case, was the theory about Modoki bodily fluids the most likely? Well, it could also be that the Crimson Water Medicine itself was the cause. But with the medicine in short supply, we couldn't exactly ask for some for experiments.

I thought about asking someone who seemed knowledgeable later, perhaps someone like Granny Jill.

「Fran-san! That was an amazing battle!」

「You were incredible!」

When we returned to everyone, they praised Fran one after another. Not only the new students but also Carona and the others who understood her strength were excited. Indeed, witnessing a flashy battle upfront must have made them truly feel Fran's power. Their excitement would continue for a while.

Well, they gradually shifted from excitement to anxiety as they couldn't find any traces of the wolves.

In the end, Carona and the others couldn't find the wolves. They returned to the camp with dejected expressions, and it was time for a debriefing. During this time, advice from the escorts was allowed. They believed that allowing students to think for themselves was essential, but they also considered professional opinions valuable.

Fran and Charles pointed out the failures regarding the mission for that day. Although their ranks were low, Charles was one of the adventurers based around this lake. When it came to gathering and exploration, he gave more precise advice than Fran.

After the debriefing ended, Fran headed towards the tent that was designated as her sleeping quarters. Perhaps it was because Urushi was with her, but she was allowed to use a tent by herself. In terms of strength, there were no objections from the others. In fact, other combat instructors might feel nervous if they had to share a tent with Fran.

On the way, she noticed a small figure crouching in the grass. It wasn't an animal. The figure was wearing clothes.

It was a small child.

It was Romeo.

Well, I knew he was there thanks to my perception, but as I approached, something seemed off. He had flushed cheeks and forehead, was breathing heavily, and seemed visibly distressed.

「!」

Fran rushed over and quickly lifted his small body.

He seemed to have a high fever. His chubby, rosy cheeks that were typical of toddlers had turned red from the fever, and large drops of sweat were forming on his forehead. It was obvious to anyone that he was in pain.

Fran didn't ask if he was okay or anything of the sort. It was quite clear that he wasn't.

（Should I use Heal, Master?）

『Wait a moment with the healing magic.』

（Why?）

『I'm concerned about how much energy it might consume...』

Using healing magic on a child with low physical strength can sometimes lead to even more exhaustion and worsen their condition, I had heard. The same applied to potions. Additionally, it wasn't clear whether it was an injury, illness, or simply exhaustion that had caused Romeo's condition. It wasn't as straightforward as just using healing magic.

Upon appraisal, Romeo's state seemed to be exhaustion. However, it was unclear how reliable that information was.

Due to his contract with the evil individual Zelos Reed, Romeo had been affected by his malevolent aura. As a result, some appraisal results were marked as unknown. There were several skills with unidentified properties, and his status had gaps that couldn't be fully assessed.

『We need to take him to Weena Rhyn immediately!』

「Got it.」

Fran gently lifted Romeo. It was what they called a princess carry. It was a fresh sight to see Fran carrying someone like this.

Romeo made a faint movement but had no strength to make any significant effort. In the end, he complied.

「Hang in there.」

「...」

When Fran spoke, Romeo's eyes widened in surprise.

To this child, Fran was an enemy. Romeo was about four years old, and in his world, which had only recently begun for him, Zelos Reed was a reliable guardian. At least, that was how Romeo perceived it.

I didn't know how Zelos Reed behaved in front of Romeo, but he certainly wouldn't be unkind. Otherwise, Romeo wouldn't have grown attached to him.

Fran was an enemy who attacked Zelos Reed, who was undoubtedly the most important figure in Romeo's life. Well, Fran didn't understand this child's feelings. She understood it to some extent but didn't harbor any ill will. At most, she had some aversion.

Even now, she was genuinely worried about Romeo, who was unwell. And that surprised Romeo.

Romeo, though just a child, believed that the world was divided clearly into friends and foes. However, Fran, who should be an enemy, was helping him. He couldn't comprehend it.

As she looked at the bewildered Romeo, Fran recalled her encounter with Zefmate of the Blue Cat Tribe. Zefmate was a friendly member of the Blue Cat Tribe, the first one Fran had encountered, who was typically seen as the natural enemy of the Black Cat Tribe. Fran had a similarly bewildered expression back then. Romeo's face now resembled that of Fran at that time.

It was a surprise to discover that among their natural enemies, the Blue Cat Tribe, there was someone who could be considered good. Romeo seemed to harbor feelings similar to that.

「Weena Rhyn! Romeo has collapsed!」

「Can you lay him down here?」

「Understood.」

Zelos Reed wasn't there. It seemed like he was occupied with some errands. Maybe Romeo had gone looking for Zelos Reed.

As instructed by Weena Rhyn, they laid the exhausted Romeo on the bed. Weena Rhyn began some kind of examination without any signs of haste.

「Hmm... He's just exhausted. Well, being around Zelos Reed exposes him to malevolent influences, so it's inevitable.」

「Yeah.」

「He's really worn out.」

Weena Rhyn shrugged as she said that. It seemed distant. Well, for her, a High Elf, childhood was a distant memory. She might not fully empathize with Romeo's suffering.

「Will Romeo recover?」

「His life isn't in danger.」

「Good. That's a relief.」

「Surprising, isn't it? You don't seem to like this kid.」

「I don't particularly dislike him.」

Fran shook her head in response to Weena Rhyn's question.

No, she didn't dislike him. She just didn't know how to deal with him.

While Fran was talking with Weena Rhyn, she suddenly turned her body around.

「! I'm leaving.」

After a final glance at Romeo's face, Fran quickly headed toward the entrance of the tent.

「...」

「...」

She sensed that Zelos Reed was returning. They passed each other at the entrance without exchanging any words. However, Zelos Reed's voice was soon heard from behind.

「Romeo!」

Fran, who had been expressionless when she saw him, widened her eyes upon hearing Zelos Reed's voice. The expression on her face wasn't one of annoyance or anger. It was more like surprise and bewilderment. Was that what was showing on Fran's face? A rare sight indeed.

『Fran, what's wrong?』

「...It's nothing.」

It didn't look like nothing at all... What was so surprising about those words?

Fran continued to walk in silence and returned to her tent.

The look of surprise she had shown earlier was gone, and on the surface, she seemed composed. However, when it came to Zelos Reed, Fran became quite emotional. Nervous might be an appropriate description.

Should I speak to her or not? I couldn't decide. As I pondered, Fran suddenly spoke to me.

「Is something bothering you?」

「Who's there!」

『Who is it?!』

「Grrr!」

Both Fran and I, as well as Urushi, were taken aback, frantically turning around. We had been unable to sense the presence at all. While we had let our guard down a bit, we were by no means defenseless. Yet, none of us had detected the source of that voice.

This was an abnormal situation. No, there was one possibility.

A spirit. If it were a spirit, neither Urushi nor I would be able to sense its presence, and Fran might miss it unless she was highly focused. However, that seemed unlikely.

In front of us was not a spirit. On the contrary, it was a girl we recognized, though she was no longer wearing an eye patch.

「The stall girl?」

「Long time no see.」

It was the blind girl who had run a stall in the town of Kiarazen, Rhyn. She was a beautiful girl with white skin, half-twin golden hair that flowed beautifully. However, she had removed the black eyepatch that once covered both her eyes, revealing her eyes. Her right eye was purple, and her left eye was green, a condition known as heterochromia.

Even in the dimly lit tent where only a faint light from a small magical device was present, her eyes seemed to shine as if they were illuminated. They were captivating eyes, the kind you might describe as "eyes that could draw you in." It was impossible to look away from Rhyn's eyes, which sparkled like gemstones.

It appeared as though her gaze was firmly fixed on Fran. Was she not blind? The appraisal from earlier had clearly shown that both her eyes were damaged, but Fran decided to attempt another appraisal.

『Nah!』

（Master?）

『The appraisal was repelled.』

I had been able to appraise her before. That wasn't the only strange thing.

「Hehe. Fran-san, it's pointless.」

「What are you talking about?」

「Hehehe.」

She completely saw through me! However, Rhyn didn't seem inclined to pursue the matter. She gazed at Fran with a smile, as if she were pretending to be oblivious.

「I came to see Fran today.」

「Why? And are you... a spirit?」

『What?』

（I sense a spirit's presence from Rhyn.）

Really? I certainly couldn't sense Rhyn's presence at all. It was as if an insubstantial illusion were standing before me. There should have been human presence in Kiarazen...

Was she truly a spirit? A humanoid spirit like this was something I had never seen before. Klimt had mentioned a while back that humanoid spirits were of an advanced rank. If that were the case, was the girl in front of me an advanced spirit?

「Let me introduce myself again. I am the spirit Rhyn, the spirit of time and water.」

「Indeed, a spirit... Amazing. You look like a human.」

A spirit. And with a purple right eye and a green left eye? Wasn't that a characteristic of the Greater Spirit said to guard Vivian Lake? However, when she was called a spirit, it seemed fitting. In fact, it was hard to accept any other explanation. There was an otherworldly quality to her that demanded such a label.

「I came today to tell you something.」

「Something to tell us?」

Fran seemed more interested in hearing Rhyn's story than in probing her true identity. There was something in the earnest expression Rhyn had suddenly displayed that made Fran less inclined to pry.

「I can see past causality through water. From what I see in the past, I can discern the future.」

「The future?」

「Yes. There's no such thing as a predetermined fate in this world. However, there are future outcomes that are highly likely to occur if nothing is done.」

While I didn't fully understand it, Rhyn appeared to possess a psychometric ability. She could apparently see the past in great detail. Moreover, she could make predictions about the future based on calculations using that past information.

Perhaps the reason she had discovered I wasn't just a sword was because of this ability. If she could see Fran's past, it stood to reason that I would be a part of it.

「Of course, it's not certain. It's just a high probability if things continue as they are.」

「So, what does that mean?」

「Tragedy is approaching for all of you, Rhyn murmured with a pained expression. When spoken by this spirit in the form of a girl, it felt eerily believable.」

「Tragedy?」

「Yes. Because of what happened before, I want to repay the favor you did for me.」

「Before? What are you talking about?」

「I'm sorry. If I interfere too much, the future I see may change entirely. But you have to believe. Sword-san, to avoid this tragedy, you need to become stronger.」

Rhyn's gaze was undeniably focused on me.

「You haven't noticed. Your own transformation.」

『What do you mean?』

「I mean that you are becoming a sword.」

『Becoming a sword? But I'm already a sword.』

「Physically, yes. But inside, you are different. You're still human.」

Ah, I see. Since I was originally a human, it couldn't be helped.

However, it didn't seem like being human was a problem. In fact, she seemed to want me to be more human.

「But gradually, you're ceasing to be human. Your transformation from a human-like mentality to a mentality suited for a sword is accelerating.」

『Is that bad?』

「In the past, you hesitated in situations where you would have protected Fran. Lately, you've been looking at Fran from a detached perspective, as if observing her.」

『Well, even before...』

「No, it's different. Before, you were a guardian. But now, you're just a sword.」

『Well, I am a sword...』

「You're starting to feel less uncomfortable about that idea.」

『No, that's not... I am...』

As I tried to argue with Rhyn, I was surprised by the weakness in my own words. What was happening? I had intended to say, "No, I am a sword, but I'm also human!" but I failed to do so.

I couldn't voice the denial.

「You haven't noticed Fran's changes either.」

『What do you mean?』

「Have you not noticed that Fran can't move well, can't fight, and is becoming irritable? Is that really the case?」

What did she mean? When I looked at Fran, she had her ears flattened and her head hung low with an expression that was hard to describe. It was a mix of apology, sadness, and loneliness.

「I'm sorry...」

『Why are you apologizing?』

「Master noticed something strange in Fran. But I was afraid to mention it.」

『Fran...』

「What disturbs Fran the most is her uncertainty about you.」

Was it because of the anxiety she carried that she became irritable and aggressive...? Was it because of me?

「You are certainly a sword, but you are also a human. Don't forget that.」

Right after delivering that message, Rhyn began to fade away.

『Wait a minute!』

「Because you are Master, don't just be a bystander. Be strong in spirit. Remember that you are Fran's Master—」

『Rhyn! Wait! Tell me more!』

It was no use. She said what she wanted and disappeared.

『Fran, where's Rhyn?』

「She's gone.」

『I see...』

I'm becoming a sword? How does that connect to the impending tragedy?

「Master...」

『What is it?』

「I want Master to stay as Master.」

『Fran...』

In Fran's voice, there was a profound sadness. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes were slightly moist. Fran drew me from the scabbard and hugged my blade firmly. I could feel Fran's warmth and the steady beat of her heart. Simultaneously, I understood Fran's anxiety.

A little girl was trembling.

「There are plenty of swords, but there's only one Master.」

『I am...』

That Fran, she was afraid. Afraid that I would become just a sword. She was even shedding tears for my sake.

I felt terrified. Even with all this, I hadn't been afraid of turning into a sword. If it were the me from when I first met Fran, I would have definitely felt guilt and fear.

As Rhyn had said, I was on the verge of becoming a sword. I became acutely aware of it.

No!

That won't do!

I can't be a failure of a Master who makes Fran sad! I will absolutely not become a sword! I won't make Fran sad! Definitely not!

As I made this strong determination, I was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense chill.

『Guu...』

「Master?」

For the first time as a sword, I was experiencing this sensation. And in the next moment, my body trembled due to an inexplicable impulse that dominated my mind. Well, it's not like I have a body...

It was a strange and intense emotion that seemed to encompass all emotions, yet none at all. It bubbled up within my heart.

『Gaa...』

「—!」

Then, I suddenly became aware. I was feeling intense fear about becoming a sword.

This is—

「—! Master!」

It seemed that my surroundings had become completely indiscernible. Fran's voice couldn't be heard. But the moment I heard her desperate call, I suddenly regained my composure.

『...Fran?』

「Master! Are you okay?」

『I-I'm fine. Completely fine. Sorry, I got a little carried away... Hey, have I been acting strangely lately?』

「A little. But just a little.」

It was only a slight sense of unease. That's why she couldn't bring it up. However, Fran was clearly relieved.

『Fran...』

「What?」

『I'm still me. I'm Fran's Master.』

「Nn...」

But what should I do? Rhyn said to be strong in spirit. In other words, there's still hope, right?

『I'll do my best.』

「Nn!」

My spirit was starting to become like that of a sword. I was trying to be a bystander, as Rhyn had said.

Then I should act more like a human and a guardian to Fran.

Now that I think about it, I've been less talkative recently. Also, I've been delegating decisions to Fran. Well, up until now, I've let Fran do whatever she wanted. But recently, I seemed to be more about entrusting Fran with decisions rather than trusting her to make them.

It might be difficult if I consciously try to change, but I'll start by regaining our conversational relationship.

『Hey, Fran.』

「What is it?」

『When you heard Zelos Reed call Romeo's name earlier, were you surprised? What's wrong with that?』

Even in such a conversation, Fran responded happily.

「Because his voice sounded the same.」

『Same as whose?』

「Master.」

『Huh? The same as me?』

「Yeah. When Master asked me, 'Are you okay?' It sounded like the same voice... a gentle voice.」

It was an unexpected answer. My voice and that guy's voice sounded alike? A gentle voice? Of course, it must be about the atmosphere, not the voice quality... I couldn't tell myself, but Fran seemed sure.

『So, does that mean Zelos Reed is genuinely worried about Romeo?』

There had been talk about the Magnolia family blood having some influence...

『Is Magnolia's blood really that powerful? To change someone so profoundly at their core?』

「I don't know. But those words were genuine. Absolutely.」

『...If Fran thinks that way, then I'll believe it.』

「Nn.」

I understood the reason Fran was so distressed now. She must have been surprised to see her nemesis, Zelos Reed, showing kindness to Romeo. And perhaps, she felt sad when comparing Zelos Reed's positive changes to my negative ones.

I'm... a terrible guardian. I hadn't even realized that I was making Fran sad.

「Hey, Master.」

『Yeah? What is it?』

「Can we sleep together tonight?」

『...Of course.』

「Woof woof!」

「Urushi wants to join too.」

「Woof!」

Fran seemed so cheerful, like I hadn't seen in a long time. I was taken aback by this fact.

『Well then, let's all sleep together!』

「Woof!」

「Nn!」

With Fran cradling me, we dived onto the bed. My blade was exposed. When Fran wanted to be spoiled, she would embrace me like this without the scabbard. Oh, I had already transformed into my non-blade form.

「Hey, Master.」

『What?』

「Can you make breakfast tomorrow?」

『Tomorrow?』

「Nn. Is it okay?」

『Sure. What would you like?』

「Pancakes.」

『Oh, I see. It's been a while since I made those.』

「Nn. Hey, Master.」

『What is it?』

「Well...」

Wrapped in Urushi's fur, Fran and I chatted. It wasn't a particularly profound conversation, just idle talk.

But for us right now, it was the most important thing. Fran seemed happy, and that alone made me happy. We must have talked for nearly an hour. When Fran fell asleep due to drowsiness, our conversation came to an end.

『...Are you asleep?』

「Snooze...」

「Snore...」

I won't make Fran sad with me anymore. I absolutely won't become just a sword.

Seeing Fran sleeping while cuddling Urushi, I could think that way.

『Announcer-san.』

〈Yes?〉

『My spirit... my heart, is it really on the verge of becoming a sword?』

〈Yes. The spirit of the individual named Master has begun to adapt to the role of a sword.〉

『I see. So, how can I prevent it? How can I avoid making Fran sad?』

〈The request is contradictory. I cannot provide a clear answer.〉

『Huh? What do you mean?』

〈Keeping your spirit as a human is simple. If you delete the adaptation system for the sword, it will be resolved. Some parts have already been halted.〉

Did I possess such a thing? It seems that this system is causing my spirit to become more sword-like.

『Halted?』

〈At Master's request, some emotional responses are currently left intact.〉

Could it be that the inexplicable impulses I felt earlier were due to the system being stopped? However, that alone didn't seem to be the complete explanation.

『So, if I stop adapting to the sword, Fran will be sad? Why?』

〈The adaptation system is a relief provided by God. By stopping the adaptation, the probability of the individual named Master lacking mental stability and going insane is 88%.〉

『What...!』

So, my spirit becoming more sword-like is God's way of saving me? No, I remember hearing that putting a human spirit into a sword would drive them insane...

〈If the individual named Master goes insane, the probability of the individual named Fran being sad is 100%.〉

In other words, if I stop becoming a sword, I will eventually go insane and make Fran sad. But if I continue becoming a sword, that will also make Fran sad?

『Then... what should I do? How can I...』

〈Suggestion: If the individual named Master succeeds in acquiring the mental flexibility and resilience to maintain a human spirit while being a sword without going mad, there will be no problem.〉

『Is that even possible?』

You make it sound easy, but isn't it extremely difficult?

〈Probability of success: 5%.〉

『...So it's not impossible, huh?』

〈Yes.〉

I had just decided not to make Fran sad a moment ago. If that was the case, even if the chances were low, I wasn't going to give up. It's difficult, so what?

『Let's do it. Announcer-san, will you help?』

〈Yes.〉

I don't know why, but even though Announcer-san's voice remained as emotionless as always, it felt like she was happy. Or was it just my imagination?

〈Recommendation: Research and analysis of the transformation into a sword.〉

『Could we potentially find a way to do something about it?』

〈Probability of delaying the progression of transformation into a sword: 71%. However, it may temporarily reduce the functionality of the temporary Announcer-san due to the partial use of internal resources.〉

So, during the research to counteract the transformation into a sword, Announcer-san may not be able to speak as much?

I was worried about losing Announcer-san's help, but...

『Can I count on you?』

〈Yes. Please leave it to me.〉

Still, I wanted to increase the possibility of finding a way to deal with the transformation into a sword, even if it was only slightly.

「Hey, Master?」

『What is it?』

「Why did you become like this?」

『I don't understand what you're saying.』

「...You killed Zelos Reed, right? But why aren't you praising me?」

『Indeed, defeating Zelos Reed was a significant achievement. However, attacking there was not advisable. Rather, you should reflect on it.』

「I don't care anymore.」

『Understood.』

「Master!」

『What is it?』

「...Never mind.」

『Is that so?』

「...」

『...』

「...I've had enough!」

『The reason why Fran is angry is not clear. Anger clouds judgment. If there's a reason, it's better to eliminate it.』

「You fool!」

『Why are you using abusive language? What's the cause?』

「It's Master's fault!」

『I don't understand. Why are you angry?』

「Just... don't talk anymore...」

『Understood.』

「...」

『...』

「Why...」

 Someone help... 

 Anyone...