Chapter 176

Thanks to Luna’s cozy little chat skills, we managed to sneak back into the village without a hitch.

Every now and then, Erica would try to persuade us, although it really didn’t go anywhere.

When Erica preached to us with her nearly nonsensical arguments, Luna would counter with her chaos-fueled comebacks every single time.

Luna acted like it was no big deal, but for Erica, getting shut down head-on left her utterly exhausted.

“This isn’t the way… No, still, harming lives is…”

“You shouldn’t harm lives recklessly. But if you think about it, soldiers who protect the country all look like psychos, right?”

“I-I didn’t call them psychos!!”

“Oh really? Because that’s how it sounds to me.”

That’s how it went. Setting everything else aside, Erica’s ideas ended up hitting a wall when it came to soldiers.

Since ancient times, there have been those who sacrifice their freedoms to protect the nation. Not to mention they often deal with taking lives more than in other professions.

It’s not just about humans. This world has monsters, so soldiers have a pretty significant role to play.

Sure, adventurers help lighten the load, but the reality’s still lacking. There’s a reason knights hold such high status.

“But Erica, if that’s the case, why live in civilization at all? You could totally live out in the wilderness like Sivar.”

“Y-Yeah?”

“In the wilderness, you could eat whatever veggies and herbs you want.”

“No way.”

Of course, that’s not entirely true. This thought came to me as we were riding back to the Academy in the carriage.

Luna was sitting next to me, while Erica was across from us; we figured we might as well save some money and go back together.

We bumped into Uncle Rex and spent some time chatting, which delayed us a bit, but we should still arrive by dinner.

“No way? Is it because the wilderness is just too rough for you?”

“Yeah. I can’t survive on just greens.”

Having actually lived in the wilderness, I could say that without a doubt.

It’s not just talk; living off just plants was a massive challenge. Humans consume quite a lot of calories, after all.

It hasn’t even been two centuries since obesity became a serious issue back on Earth. Especially around here, aside from Santia, machine civilization hasn’t developed at all.

In that sense, Erica’s thinking isn’t widely accepted. There are loads of people starving to death right now—what’s life got to do with it?

“I’m starving, I have to hunt for food, no exceptions.”

“Umm… really? If you say so, then I guess it must be true.”

“B-but if I try hard enough…”

“Then you’ll die.”

“……”

I found myself forced to take lives, not because I wanted to, but because it was needed for survival.

Moreover, the wilderness isn’t exactly a friendly place for humans. There are plenty of monsters and beasts lurking around, always on the hunt for something to snack on.

Erica’s beliefs are distinctly wild, but ironically, she can voice them because she’s under the protection of civilization.

And for civilization to be established, strong defenses, specifically military power, are essential. Someone’s gotta get their hands dirty.

‘I’m not about to break that down for her.’

Honestly, I’d love to toss her into the wilderness. She’d quickly realize how misguided her beliefs are.

But why bother? I won’t have any future ties with her, so what’s the point in my own suffering?

Better to just attach her to someone I know. Maybe Rize could help her out.

‘After all, her potential later on is remarkable.’

There’s a reason so many people continue dragging Erica along, even if they don’t like her.

If trained properly, she holds such divine power that she could wipe out demons left and right. It’s on par with Rize’s ability, as I mentioned earlier.

Of course, the training is much more challenging compared to other characters, and she tends to cause trouble here and there, making it tiresome.

Eli needs coddling like a delicate fish, while Erica feels more like a shiny piece of gold—a bit precious.

“…..I still won’t change my thoughts. The world might be cruel, but the value of life stays the same.”

Above all, she’s stubborn as a bull. Even after all that, she refuses to bend her will.

Just hearing her makes me want to tear my hair out; I can only imagine how it must be to travel with her. She’d simply hold me back.

“Erica, why did you come to hold such beliefs?”

Looks like Luna struggles to understand it too. She asked curiously.

Everyone knows that life is precious. But Erica seems obsessively attached to it.

There must be some special circumstance behind this. I have a rough idea, but I kept my lips sealed.

“…..I used to have regular access to meat often. I was a noble until I threw myself into the church, you see.”

“Noble?”

“Yep. The Donas family, well-known in livestock farming.”

“…..Donut?”

If you slur ‘Donas’ a bit, it sounds like that. When I muttered that, Erica narrowed her eyes and protested.

“It’s not a donut; it’s Donas. I don’t get why you keep saying donut!”

“Probably due to the difference in language. Anyway, why did you join the church?”

“Well… my head of family showed me how livestock farming works. There were lots of cute cows… and I saw the whole butchering process.”

That must have been quite shocking at such a young age. There’s no electric stunner here, after all.

They have to do everything manually. In this world, butchers hold a very high status.

Of course, the cruelty is unavoidable. Especially unless you intend to finish off the livestock instantly, you’d have to endure all their writhing.

“My head of family told me, to become the head of a household, you need to know how to butcher with your own hands… I simply couldn’t do it, so I moved to the Gaia Church.”

“I get it. Sounds like it wasn’t a pleasant sight.”

“R-right? I’m not wrong, am I?”

Erica asked hopefully. It seemed there was a flicker of doubt in her beliefs.

In truth, it can’t be said her beliefs are entirely wrong. It’s only natural that one could form a trauma after experiencing such things.

The problem is enforcing that belief on others. Trying to mold everyone to fit her taste is where the error lies.

“You’re not wrong. But it’s hard to shake off that sense of inadequacy.”

“Inadequate… you say?”

“Yeah. Like a red bean pastry without the red beans?”

Luna’s analogy was spot-on. That’s exactly it.

All shiny on the outside but lacking substance. It perfectly describes Erica’s perspective.

“Your thoughts are evidence that you’re at least well-fed, Erica. If it were unbearable, you could just buy food, right?”

“……”

“Since it’s come to this, how about trying to live in the wilderness with Sivar? You might discover something new.”

“I like civilization.”

She outright refused. I prefer civilization over the wilderness as well.

Even if there are headaches in civilization, it’s uncommon to be in pain, right?

……Though I suppose there could be occasional aches. Especially if I anger Rod and get a beating.

Since I’ll be learning swordsmanship from Rod moving forward, only hard times await.

“Ugh… is that so? Is there still something lacking?”

While returning to the Academy, Erica clutched her head and sighed in distress.

Looking back often means realizing something is wrong. Surprisingly, her stubbornness seemed to be fading.

Maybe she’ll come to understand things earlier than before. Who knew Luna’s chatter could shine so brightly?

“…..First, I’ll head back to the Academy and think about it. I’ll let you know after a good think.”

“Got it. By the way, which dorm do you stay at? We should have meals together while we’re at it.”

And just like that, unexpectedly, I ended up making an unwanted connection. To be precise, it’s a connection with Luna, not me.

If it were someone else, it might be uncomfortable, but with Luna, I felt safe. After all, she’d be there to counter all of Erica’s nonsense.

At the same time, I’m curious. I wonder how Luna’s skills will shine in the future.

“I-I’m up for that! I’ve been struggling to eat alone, you know.”

“Oh, you mentioned having no friends.”

“……”

Already, a chatty conversation sparkled.

*****

The return to the Academy didn’t happen that same evening but rather the next morning.

We had to stay at the station for a day because the wagon’s wheel broke.

The station was set up like an inn, so spending the night wasn’t a problem. There were plenty of rooms.

“See you next time.”

“Yeah…”

Erica walked back, her heart heavy. No matter how hard she tried to persuade us, it all felt like futile effort.

Whatever she said, Luna’s dazzling dribbles continued. In the end, Erica had no choice but to give in.

“Sivar, are you heading straight back?”

“Nope. I’m going to Rod.”

“Is it because of that greatsword?”

“Yeah.”

Luna gazed at the greatsword clutched in Sivar’s hand.

It was a sword reminiscent of those ‘magic swords’ you might find in books. The eye engraved in the center of the hilt was particularly unsettling.

I’m not sure why Sivar preferred this sword, but there must be a reason. After all, he knows the future, so it might be important.

With that, Luna headed towards Rod’s office, where he was likely to be, since he had mentioned visiting upon returning.

Thud—

“Welcome… huh? What’s that sword?”

It was just as they knocked and entered. Upon seeing the greatsword, Rod displayed a curious expression.

Being a Sword Saint, he must have sensed something was off the moment he laid eyes on the greatsword.

Of course, a blood-red greatsword would freak anyone out just by looking at it.

“Please teach me swordsmanship.”

“What?”

“Swordsmanship. Please teach me.”

Without waiting for an answer, Sivar dove straight to the point.

That might seem rather rude, but Rod appeared unconcerned.

In fact, he seemed oddly pleased when Sivar asked him to teach swordsmanship.

‘Speaking of which, I need to ask for swordsmanship training as well.’

I had completely overlooked that detail. It was a promise made under the condition of taking care of Sivar.

Could I just learn swordsmanship alongside Sivar? While Luna was pondering that…

“Hmm. Hmm. Your stance is good, but I need to check that sword first. Could I take a look for a moment?”

“Oh. Headmaster, be careful. That sword tends to absorb mana.”

Before giving the greatsword to him, Sivar forewarned. It was just a fleeting instant, yet it undoubtedly absorbed some mana.

Sivar seemed fine, but soon he’d understand the reason why. Rod nodded at Luna’s warning.

Moments later, he received the greatsword from Sivar. As he did, Rod’s expression shifted visibly.

“Good heavens, it’s really sucking up my mana.”

“Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine. I was just a bit hungry; my temperament has always been gentle.”

Whoooom!

As Rod said that, strange happenings unfolded around the greatsword. Whether it was sucking in mana or giving off unusual energy, it felt odd.

But that noise didn’t last long. The vibrations resonating from the greatsword gently faded until it settled into silence.

Moreover, even the eye embedded in the sword’s hilt quietly closed, almost as if it had drifted off to sleep.

“That’s done. Where on earth did you get this sword? A sword with a sentient personality is incredibly rare.”

“I got it from a demon.”

“What? A demon? Could you elaborate?”

While Sivar was explaining the situation, Luna carefully took the greatsword from Rod.

This time, it felt completely different; there was no sensation as she grasped the sword. It seemed like it was simply full and sleeping now.

There’s a resemblance between the sword and its new owner. Luna squinted, examining the greatsword intently.

[Blood-Red Greatsword: A+]

[A sword that craves life and mana.]

[The greatsword, having traversed countless battlefields, eventually gained sentience. If it becomes a strength, great destructive power awaits; if it turns into a curse, a pitiful end lies in wait.]

[Special Effect: Absorb]

[No living creature can escape the curse of this sword. Only beings that are not alive can be free from the curse.]

“……”

It looked terrifying just reading it. Luna raised her gaze after finishing the description.

“Even so, going up against a demon alone is extremely dangerous. Is it not blue, though?”

“It was weak…”

“Even if weak, a demon remains a demon. That was quite reckless.”

“……”

Sivar was getting scolded by Rod. His lips were pouted, showing deep annoyance.

Meanwhile, Luna tilted her head in confusion.

‘Does that mean Sivar isn’t a living creature? He looks quite alive to me!?’

It made no sense at all.

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