From the sword perched on the chair, a subtle resonance could be felt.
—Vmmm...
The atmosphere seed to thicken, as if Caliburn’s very emotions were altering the air around us. I instinctively tensed at the shift.
—What do you an by that?
The tone was cold, a stark contrast to the voice I ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) had grown accustod to. Caliburn, seemingly skeptical and almost hostile, demanded clarification, as if unable to believe what it had heard.
—Did I hear you correctly? Are you saying you intend to bring back to life?
"Exactly as you heard. I was asking if you’re interested in resurrection."
—And you think you know what kind of person I am?
I placed my clasped hands on my knee, answering calmly, my voice even.
"That’s sothing I’ll learn over ti."
—Excuse ?
"Human relationships are built on ti and patience. It’d be ridiculous to claim I know everything about you after just a few conversations."
—And you think you know well enough to make such an offer? To bring back, not knowing the kind of monster I am?
Caliburn’s voice was laced with sothing close to disbelief, mingling with an air of irritation. Despite its evident intrigue about resurrection, Caliburn seed to view my suggestion as nothing more than an impulsive sche.
—I told you earlier—I was a terrifying person.
"..."
—And since you claim to have done your research, you must know my other na.
"The Iron-Blooded Lord..."
—Correct. No matter how powerful you think you are, you couldn’t possibly handle .
"Hmm..."
I shrugged, eting Caliburn’s aggression with a casual response.
"You’re right. I couldn’t handle it."
—...
"Iron-Blooded Lord."
—...
"A king brought down by the sches of their own retainers."
—Mind your tongue.
"A princess once too gentle to harm a single insect, now rembered as the Iron-Blooded Lord..."
I looked at Caliburn, a small smile playing at my lips.
"That’s what intrigues ."
I laid the docunts Hans had compiled on the table, gesturing toward them as if to hint that they contained information about Caliburn.
"A few sheets of paper don’t an I know you."
—...
"But from what I’ve gathered, you don’t seem as terrible as you claim."
—Grrr.
An oppressive aura emanated from Caliburn’s blade. Clearly, the ntion of her past had touched a nerve.
—Do you know how many people I’ve killed?
"Tens of thousands... perhaps hundreds of thousands."
—And yet you still intend to resurrect ? In your ti?
"Why would that be a problem?"
—Hah...?
"I’m serious."
—...I can see that you’ve done your howork.
"..."
—But surely you realize...
"Realize what?"
—If you intend to put a leash on a monarch, you’d best be prepared to die.
"A leash?"
*—Aren’t you trying to make your personal weapon, a vicious guard dog you can command?"
I chuckled at Caliburn’s assumption, amused at how I must have seed like a power-obsessed villain.
It was understandable, really. Here I was, discussing the resurrection of a legendary demonic sword, a blade once revered as a lord in ancient tis. I would have bristled, too, had I been in her position.
Resurrection, so soon after eting her?
If I were her, I’d be suspicious as well.
I shook my head, lowering my voice to clarify, as it seed Caliburn had completely misunderstood my intentions.
"That’s not it."
—What?
"I’d feel guilty wielding a sword with its own consciousness..."
—What do you an?
"Maybe it’s easier to explain if I put it plainly."
—...
"I’m not so lunatic, nor am I reckless enough to rely on power I can’t control."
—Then... are you planning to revive only to destroy afterward? To remove any potential threat?
"No."
—Then...?
"It wouldn’t be a full resurrection. Your power would remain with the sword while you receive a new body. Think of it as transferring your consciousness to a new vessel."
I raised my hand, extending two fingers for clarity.
One hand represented Caliburn, while the other stood for her potential new body.
"Simply put, your power would stay with this hand, while your consciousness moves to this one."
—...So...
"You’d gain a body but would lose your strength."
—Is such a thing even possible?
"In my dictionary, ‘impossible’ doesn’t exist."
—But wouldn’t it be more convenient for you to have as I am, with my powers intact?
"I’m fine with it."
—But then what benefit do you gain? Wouldn’t it be better to wield as I am, with my ego intact...?
I cast an awkward smile at Caliburn, knowing that my reasoning was sothing she would likely not understand.
"I already told you..."
—No evasions. Say it plainly.
"I just don’t feel right wielding a lady as if she’s a tool."
—W-What...?
"I expect there will be rough situations ahead. Using a lady as a weapon doesn’t sit well with . It weighs on my conscience."
—Wait... What did you just...
"As I said, I’d rather part with you than live with the guilt."
—But... but I’m a sword! Yes, I have a mind, but I’m still just a weapon...
"That’s the problem."
—There are plenty of swords with consciousness in the world! Holy Swords, swords bearing the will of their wielders...
"Still, I’m not comfortable with it."
—Oh...
Caliburn was at a loss.
A strange sensation seed to radiate from her blade, and I got the impression that, if she could, she’d be squirming in embarrassnt.
I wondered if my words had flustered her so much. At the sa ti, I was relieved; I’d half-expected her to refuse outright, thinking I was so power-hungry scher.
"Honestly, I thought you’d hate the idea, assuming I just wanted to monopolize your power."
—That’s certainly one way to put it... but if you say it like that... it’s... It’s hard not to... feel... strange.
"Pardon?"
—Nothing.
I still couldn’t entirely understand her.
eting her gaze, I earnestly asked Caliburn to decide. I wanted her answer to my proposal.
Caliburn replied shyly.
—I don’t know...
"Excuse ?"
—I feel embarrassed.
...?
Another peaceful day at the young lady’s estate.
"Ricardo..."
The young lady lay sprawled on her bed, looking at and pleading for attention.
In one hand, she clutched a strip of jerky.
"Nom... nom..."
In the other hand, a piece of chocolate. She watched as I swept the floor, calling out.
"Stop cleaning and play with ."
"I’ll play with you in a bit."
"Ugh..."
"I’m a bit busy today."
"Uuuuugh..."
"But I’ll give you an extra chocolate bar. One as big as your palm."
"Palm-sized...?!"
"Yes."
"Alright. But after you finish cleaning, you have to play with ."
"Understood."
The reason for my cleaning so early was simple: we had important guests arriving at the mansion today.
—I’d like to help clean too. I can unleash the ‘Darkstorm Blade’...
"Cleaning with that would be a disaster."
—...What a sha.
Having postponed her resurrection, Caliburn remained in her sword form, saying she would wait until she felt fully prepared to accept.
Today, the guests expected at the mansion were:
[“I’m coming.”]
– Desmont Darbav
[“I’ll be there too.”]
– Desmont Kyle
[“Want to bring anything?”]
– Desmont Rosanna
The entire Desmont family.
That’s why I was cleaning the mansion from dawn. I knew it would be tight on my own, so Hans and Gomtang were helping too.
"Sir! I’ve finished cleaning the third floor!"
"Then please organize the dining table on the first floor as well."
"Glory to the Lord!"
"Let’s not go that far..."
anwhile, Gomtang scurried around with a cleaning cloth tied to his paws, leaving sparkling trails in his wake.
—Gom!
"Yes, please clean the first floor too."
—Gom? Gomgom.
Thanks to Hans’s magic, the cleaning was progressing much more smoothly.
Now all that was left was the cooking. With plenty of ti remaining, I could prepare the al leisurely and welco our guests without any rush.
But then...
"Ricardo."
"Yes?"
"Father’s here."
The young lady, lying on the bed, looked over at and made this startling declaration.
"Excuse ? He’s already here?"
"Yep."
"I thought he said he’d arrive around seven. Why is he here so soon?"
"I don’t know."
"You must have misseen."
"Nope."
The young lady pointed out the window, looking disgruntled.
"Father brought the carriage."
"What?"
Startled, I rushed to the window to check the front gate. Relieved to find nothing there, I sighed.
"You must have been mistaken."
"No, I wasn’t."
"Excuse ?"
"Look."
Her finger pointed up, not toward the ground but toward the sky.
‘No way...’
I followed her gaze, and when I looked up, a bewildered laugh escaped .
"Oh... oh...?!"
The carriage was flying.
And fast, at that.
"Not even Superman could... "
Darbav was approaching the mansion, holding the carriage aloft with one hand.
"Oliviaaaaa!!!"
And with tears brimming in his eyes.
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