Chapter 52 - I Guess You Can't Save the World While Sane

The next day, I took a walk around the military academy, watching the cadets out on their runs. Along the way, I came across a statue of a man pointing ahead, a huge sword held in its scabbard.

I stared at the sword the statue held. An oval opening gaped in the middle of the scabbard, exposing the blade without any need to draw it. Despite the statue's age, it gleamed like a real sword.

"Still spry for someone from a hundred years ago, isn't he?"

A woman's voice came from behind me. I turned, and a middle-aged woman in uniform walked up beside me.

"Well, they did make him exactly as he looked a hundred years ago."

"Haha, true. Still, sometimes I look at him and think he might come to life."

"Well, perhaps he might."

One of the Death God's cult's Lamps could turn people to stone, after all.

"What brings you to the military academy?"

At her belated question, I was about to explain that I was an academy sponsor, but she continued as though she already knew.

"Aren't you busy with the succession rights issue? Should the princess's knight really be here?"

She was actually talking about Chiron, not me...

When I furrowed my brow at the unexpected remark, she briskly held out her right hand.

"I'm Principal Ximena."

Only then did I notice the rank insignia on the epaulets of her uniform.

"Daywin Hasgard."

I took her right hand and gave it a light squeeze. I still didn't know the academy chairman's name, yet here I was learning the name of the principal of a military academy five hours away by train. It was a name I'd never heard in my previous life.

"How did you recognize me?"

"There was a gathering recently. I met the academy chairman there, and he spoke of you, Lord Daywin. The newspapers are full of talk about the succession, too."

"Even so, you wouldn't know my face."

"The chairman described you."

My face? What on earth had he said?

"A handsome young man with blond hair, he said. You needn't worry."

Ximena smiled faintly, accentuating the wrinkles around her eyes.

"I wasn't... particularly worried."

As we spoke, she lifted her gaze to the statue again.

"That sword. We intend to offer it as the prize for this year's Peach Garden Festival."

Huh? Just like that?

"The... statue?"

"Of course not. The real sword."

"... Is that really all right?"

"It's what we must do."

Ximena's reply was abruptly firm. And just like that, I'd unwittingly accomplished what I'd come to the military academy to do.

"Whether we end up fighting the undead again or not, that sword is a symbol. Passing a weapon wielded by a hero a hundred years ago to a prodigy of the present generation—the royal family has decided that alone will help ease the people's fears."

"In that case, wouldn't it be better to give it to a swordsman in their prime? Prodigies or not, they're still students."

"He was their age back then, too."

"Hmm... I don't really understand the royal family's thinking."

"An odd thing for the princess's knight to say."

"More importantly..."

As I began, Ximena turned from the statue to look at me.

"What will you do if another school takes it?"

"Another school?"

"You make it sound as though you've already chosen its recipient. This prodigy of the present generation—isn't there a student the military academy already has in mind?"

"Yes."

Ximena readily admitted that they had a recipient picked out.

"There is. Passing it to the Peach Garden Festival's winner gives us more justification than simply handing it over."

"You speak as though the military academy has already won."

"Yes."

The same response again. She was far too quick to admit it.

"There is a seminary student we need to watch out for, but we'll win this year."

"The academy has plenty of talented students, too."

"Does it? But the military academy secured its third consecutive victory last year, and last year's champion is competing again. The seminary might be another matter, but I hardly think the academy's turn will suddenly come this year after thirty-three years without a win."

"This year will be different."

I surprised myself by saying it. To think those words would ever come out of my mouth. I thought I finally understood how baseball fans felt...

"I've heard about your new student, too. An extraordinary first-year, they say. But a first-year is still a first-year."

Hmm... This was kind of pissing me off...

For the first time, I actually wanted to take Laward's side.

"Why is a principal so interested in a children's event in the first place...?"

"Didn't I explain? This year's Peach Garden Festival isn't the same old annual event."

That much was true. According to the game's scenario, the academy founder's return as an undead in the second semester of the first year created a sense of danger, but the story of the mastermind didn't resume until much later.

But so much had already changed. Even if the pace had slowed recently, undead were already appearing one by one across the country. That was because the Death God's cult now knew I was digging into their activities. They'd realized they no longer had time to prepare in hiding.

The apocalypse was progressing faster. My only reassurance was that the faster they moved, the weaker they would be. They were clearly rushing into action before they were ready.

A tree that should have been putting down deep roots was hastily shooting up its trunk instead. A tree like that would snap when a typhoon struck.

I wanted Laward to become that typhoon.

"We need to arm them."

Ximena's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Not people like me, who'll soon retire from service. We need to arm the young blood. That's why I'm paying particular attention to the Peach Garden Festival this year."

"And the best of that young blood is at this school?"

"Yes. Certainly not at the academy. Haha."

Ximena wore a mischievous expression, making it clear she was joking. That kept me from getting angry this time, but it hardly put me in a good mood.

"Come to think of it, the military academy does have one advantage."

I pointed at the statue.

"At least he won't come back to life. You won't have a tragedy like the one at the academy's memorial hall. I heard he was cremated rather than buried."

"Yes. His last wish was for his body to be burned."

"Did he know the necromancer would return?"

If he'd known, he could have made sure the bastard stayed dead.

"Well, I couldn't say."

"... No. There's no way for us to know."

As I stood with my arms folded, locked in a staring contest with the statue, Ximena said she would take her leave.

"Of course, Principal. I'll see you at the Peach Garden Festival, then."

"I'll look forward to the academy putting up a good fight. Until then."

Even after she left, I kept looking up at the statue. Once again, at the sword in his hand.

["... Is that really all right?"]

There was only one reason I'd asked Ximena that question.

Apparently... nobody knew that was a cursed sword...

It might not have been one a hundred years ago, but it had certainly been ominous when I saw it in my previous life. Even the Sword Saint, who could wield any weapon, had started acting strangely after taking hold of it.

He'd changed, then died out of the blue.

"Now what, Mr. Hero? At the very least... the necromancer seems to have known he'd return."

I tapped the statue's toe.

"... Judging by all the curses he poured into your sword."

052

Where the academy had its memorial hall, the military academy had a hall of remembrance. I found the actual cursed sword on display there.

Perhaps the military academy was better funded. Unlike the academy's memorial hall, which had relied on little more than night guards to prevent theft, this place had magical security measures.

Thanks to that, the item description window wasn't working. Or did I simply have to get my hands on it first?

The sword was red all over. Apart from the blade gleaming cold blue through the opening in the scabbard, both scabbard and hilt were bright red.

What's more, its crossguard sat much higher than on an ordinary sword. The hilt was long enough for four hands rather than two, and the guard was ridiculously long as well. It almost looked as though it had three blades: one pointing up and one to either side.

Even an amateur like me could tell its balance was a mess. I had no idea how anyone had swung that thing.

Reading the description attached to the glass display case, I learned that they'd even welded the blade to the scabbard so it couldn't be drawn.

It had a blade, but they didn't use it. This wasn't a sword. It was a bludgeon.

I really did have to wonder if you could save the world while sane.

Anyway, in my previous life, this had been a cursed sword.

"Can't tell just by looking."

After checking my surroundings, I summoned a spirit, loaded it with detection buffs, and examined the sword again.

[There's dark magic on it. Not the kind that can be purified.]

The spirit spoke as it circled the sword.

"No talking."

[... Yes.]

It was dangerous to start talking to spirits. Conversation led to attachment, and attachment made it hard to blow them up. Even if they did come back to life once the cooldown ended.

So what was I going to do with this sword? If it couldn't be purified, destroying it was the only option. The problem was its symbolic significance. I'd obviously be branded a traitor the moment I broke it.

But if I told anyone, I doubted they'd believe me. They'd only realize the truth after someone got hurt.

Still, leaving it alone would be... such a waste.

That sword had certainly killed the Sword Saint, but no other sword had been as powerful. Better to get hold of it first and look for a solution afterward.

In the end, did it all come down to Laward winning the dueling tournament?

I had to make him win.

I dismissed the spirit, letting it slip away, and stepped back from the sword.

Oh. Had Veronica finished whatever it was she needed to do by now? I'd look around for her, then head for the train if I couldn't find her.

With that thought, I was walking along a path when...

"Ah! Are you not Daywin Hasgard?"

The peculiar greeting stopped me in my tracks. I didn't recognize the voice. Besides, I'd never met anyone who addressed me quite so grandly.

"Don't pretend you don't know me. It's me, Hakan!"

And who the hell was that?

I turned to find a handsome man with swaying, wavy blond hair. Tall and thin, he was a cadet in the military academy's uniform.

Again, I didn't know this smarmy-looking bastard.

"W-wait! Didn't we meet at the royal palace?"

I'd been about to ignore him and leave, but the mention of the palace stopped me again.

Right. So that was it. This cadet called Hakan had met Chiron, not me.

"Hehe, you've finally stopped for me. It has been a while. I've been hoping to see you again."

What sort of social circle did Chiron even have...? I should have told him beforehand not to make friends with weirdos.

"As taciturn as ever, Sir Daywin."

"I think you've got the wrong person."

"Impossible! Others might be fooled, but nothing escapes Hakan's eyes."

I felt an urge to gouge out those eyes of Hakan's.

"Didn't I suggest we have a bout while we were at the palace? Leaving without fulfilling that promise has been weighing on me. To think we'd meet like this! What brings you to the military academy?"

"You left the palace?"

"Yes! Haven't you heard? The prince went and died, so I, Hakan, am a free man now."

Oh, so it was you. The knight who'd failed to protect the first prince.

"You're lucky to be alive. A knight who fails to protect his lord ought to face execution."

"Ha ha, ha! Let's just say I know an unspeakable secret about the first prince! Having that leverage barely got me out alive!"

Hakan planted his hands on his hips and laughed from his belly. Even his laugh was irritating.

"You didn't just run away?"

"... What do you mean?"

My words silenced that laugh in an instant.

"If you were the first prince's knight, you must be a fairly strong swordsman. Especially at your age."

He was probably the prodigy Principal Ximena had mentioned.

"Who did you meet there?"

"Who did I meet? I'm not quite sure what you're talking about..."

"Was it a snake?"

"A snake...?"

"No. If it had been a snake, you wouldn't have escaped on your own."

"Ha ha, ha, Sir Daywin, you're rather talkative today—"

"Or was it a fox?"

Hakan's expression abruptly crumpled. Then the smooth skin above his upper lip began to twitch ever so slightly.

"A fox, then."

"Sir Daywin, how did you know...?"

"Who knows? Well, there's one thing I can say for certain."

One person after another.

While I'd been holed up at home in my previous life, had everyone here been hailing this bastard as the prodigy of the present generation?

Fine. I could see he was strong enough to become the first prince's knight. Whether in my previous life or in the game, I could accept that he was a prodigy of this era.

But, much as I hated saying something like this...

"At least Laward wouldn't have run."

Even if he'd met the necromancer himself. He would have died there first.

"He wouldn't have run."