“Hmm. We have some time left.”
After promising to become accomplices, we decided on our plan for the upcoming “Ceremony.”
The plan was quickly finalized, leaving us with ample time. First, I tried to ascertain how much time Tiara-san had left.
“Tiara-san, about how much longer do you have?”
“About a few hours until I disappear? I could last longer if I slept,” she confessed with surprising ease that she had less than a day left of her lifespan.
However, on the brink of death, her complexion showed no change.
“Therefore! I’ll give you a little training!”
To my surprise, she laughed cheerfully, struck a peculiar pose, and seemed to prioritize others over herself.
Her reaction left me bewildered.
Even if she truly had no “Lingering Desire,” I felt she must have had more she wanted to do in her final moments. At least, if it were me… I would want to see my elder sister and Christ one last time and talk to them.
I felt I couldn’t fully grasp Tiara-san’s thoughts before the ceremony as I gazed at her body as she held that strange pose.
Her body was exceptionally small and thin, and her magic power was weak and scarce. Frankly, she didn’t look like someone who could withstand a battle.
“Training… you’re going to spar with me in that body?”
I had heard that the owner of that body wasn’t very high in Level.
Even with Tiara-san’s “Blood,” her Status was simply too insufficient.
“Mmm… Rainer-chan. Are you perhaps judging by the Status numbers? You’re so behind the times!”
“Behind the times…?”
Tiara-san saw right through my judgment based on Level and Status and laughed, saying it was wrong.
“Status is just an initial rule created by Master. For me, who has the latest rules, it’s outdated. The times are about ‘numbers that don’t appear in numbers,’ that’s what it is!”
“Numbers that don’t appear in numbers.”
It was a phrase I had heard somewhere before.
I recalled Rustiara and Ragune-san discussing it, but they never explained it in detail.
—As if reading my thoughts, Tiara-san preempted me and started speaking again.
“By ‘numbers that don’t appear in numbers,’ I mean vague things like ‘mental strength,’ ‘luck,’ or ‘intuition.’ It also includes things like ‘the power of love,’ you know? When these are high, you can surprisingly win even if your Status is lower. Haven’t you ever found it strange? Sometimes you lose to someone clearly below your Status, right? That’s what I mean.”
I believed that victory was always uncertain until the very end, no matter how superior one’s strength, but Tiara-san claimed even that could be quantified.
“And, the ‘Thief of Principles’ monsters generally have incredibly low ‘numbers that don’t appear in numbers.’ They are truly the inherently weak, whose defeat in life is already decided.”
“The ‘Thief of Principles’ are weak…?”
This was unbelievable to me, having fought them directly. I had never once thought of those monsters, the epitome of strength, as weak.
“And I, from my very soul, have high ‘numbers that don’t appear in numbers.’ So, regardless of Status, I’m strong. Very strong.”
Tiara-san sniffed and mimed punching the air, asserting her superiority over the “Thief of Principles.”
I thought her words were suspect.
And it seemed she could tell I was skeptical. To prove her strength, she put distance between us, took a stance with bare hands, and beckoned me.
“Here, come at me. I’ll give you a little roughhousing.”
“…I’ll confirm those words for myself.”
Training is my hobby, and practice matches are my favorite.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I accepted the impromptu duel.
The duel took place on a clear, unobstructed grassland.
It was a head-on confrontation between two individuals.
Honestly, I couldn’t imagine losing.
I was currently the highest-ranked Knight in the Allied Nations, and my opponent’s Level was in the single digits. If I asked a thousand people, a thousand would bet on my victory.
However, I could feel a pressure from Tiara-san, other than her magic power.
Even after all her degeneration, she was still that Saint.
Without any carelessness, I began to construct Wind Magic.
“—《Wine Wind Soar》”
Activating the movement-support spell I used in the Labyrinth, I didn’t run but leaped.
My destination was above Tiara-san’s head.
While somersaulting, I moved to that spot, kicked off the air in an inverted position, and drew my sword from directly above. It was a form of “Wind Swordsmanship” taught to me by Titty in the Labyrinth.
“Sloppy!”
However, Tiara-san, without a hint of hesitation, tracked my bizarre aerial trajectory with her eyes. My dull-edged sword strike was dodged by a hair’s breadth—and what’s more, she lightly flicked the flat of my blade as it missed.
A miracle that could have severed her fingers with one mistake. She only touched it for an instant—but in that instant, she managed to destabilize my stance gripping the sword using only two fingertips. Then, as I fell from the air, she lightly and accurately punched my jaw.
“Wha—!!”
My sense of balance, crucial in aerial combat, was thrown into disarray. My consciousness, which had gained monster-like toughness through Level increases, flickered for just a moment.
It was a series of instantaneous techniques.
I didn’t know what happened after that.
Before I knew it, I was sprawled on the ground, and Tiara-san’s fist was on my nose.
If she had really put her fist down with full force, I would have taken damage despite the difference in levels. If Tiara-san had been armed, I might have died.
“………!!”
I was speechless.
I had thought she might be strong, but I never imagined she would dismiss me so easily.
Tiara-san, who was standing on me, sensed that I had surrendered and burst into laughter.
“–Hahahahaha! That’s unfair! Was that a magic name given by Master?! You’re being unfair by trying to make me laugh!”
There was no technical guidance in our sparring session; instead, she started by criticizing the technique’s name.
Though it was extremely regrettable, I confessed that I had created the magic myself.
“No, that wasn’t Christ; it was a magic I named myself… But Christ said shouting cool names makes you stronger, so I’m just doing it because I have to… Appending furigana, or something, seems to increase its power.”
It was only natural that I wasn’t doing this out of enjoyment.
I was just shouting the technique names because I heard that I could gain power from the Master.
“Hmm, you’re being deceived, Rainer-chan.”
“…What? Deceived?”
Unexpected information was thrown at me.
After being speechless, I could only ask in disbelief.
“Pouring your heart into it is important, but the name doesn’t matter? Furigana, that’s completely Master’s taste, isn’t it? Master, deceiving an innocent child again. Sigh…”
It seemed it was just Christ’s hobby.
I had always suspected that technique names were a matter of taste, and it turned out to be true.
Learning the truth, anger welled up inside me—no, wait. Calm down.
I couldn’t believe that Master would deceive someone. He had always said he hated lies.
“…No, Christ genuinely seemed to believe it. He didn’t mean any harm… I think.”
I wanted to believe that. Please let me believe that.
Otherwise, when I meet him next time, I might lash out.
“Yeah. I know he didn’t mean any harm. But that makes it even more troublesome, doesn’t it? Haha, ah, he’s really as he always is, Master… It’s the same as with me.”
With a distant look, Tiara-san got off my stomach.
Though I felt bad for her nostalgia, I immediately stood up and tried to get her evaluation of our current battle. For me, the current training was more important than the past.
“But to lose to you, with that body… I thought I had gotten stronger myself.”
“Rainer-chan is strong. Probably, you would have been quite something even a thousand years ago. But, I have a lot of experience fighting flying opponents, you see. Frankly, it was incredibly easy!”
My surprise attack from the sky, which I had approached with confidence, turned out to be a fundamental mistake in my choice of approach.
There weren’t many who could fly with magic in the Allied Nations. I was absolutely sure it would be a first-time encounter, but for her, it was something she was accustomed to.
“I see. It’s true, I’ve heard there were many more beastmen of various types in the past. Were there many like Snow and Titty?”
“A long time ago, a greedy dragon cross-bred with various species, resulting in many winged beings. It was a struggle to exterminate them all. In any case, I’m very strong against flying opponents.”
“I see, so that experience falls into the ‘unquantifiable value’ category.”
“No, experience is experience, and it’s different from ‘unquantifiable value’.”
“It’s different!”
Then what was the point of what you were saying just now…?
I glared at Tiara-san, who always seemed to be toying with people, and urged her to continue.
Seeing my reaction, she chuckled and got to the main point.
“Well, while the recent battle was largely due to experience, the ‘unquantifiable value’ also played a role. My ‘mental strength’ is outstanding, so I never freeze up or hesitate during combat. My ‘intuition’ is sharp, so even if I couldn’t follow Rainer-chan’s movements with my eyes, I somehow knew you were about to attack. Also, I have good ‘luck,’ so I tend to win no matter what.”
“……….”
This is ridiculous.
The explanation was more vague than I had anticipated.
I understand that it’s difficult to put into words things that couldn’t be quantified, but I couldn’t believe it even if I wanted to.
“You might not believe it now, but you’ll gradually start to feel it. After all, Rainer-chan also has a high ‘unquantifiable value.’ That’s why I said you’re the only one who can defeat Hidaki Sister.”
“I have a high ‘unquantifiable value’… ? I don’t feel that way at all…”
Until today, I had never thought of myself as particularly special.
Even during my academy days, I never thought I had good intuition or luck.
As a prime example, my “Aptitude” stat was far lower compared to Christ and others, and inferior to my older brothers and sisters. Even if you tell me I have talent now, I can’t easily accept it.
“Honestly, your ‘aptitude’ is trash. Your ‘luck’ is bad, and your ‘intuition’ isn’t great either. However… everything else is different. Rainer Helvirshine’s willpower is exceptionally strong.”
Though told that his talents and luck, the things he desired most, were terrible, he was praised for one thing: his strong will—in other words, his ‘mental strength.’
“Um, if that’s high, it means I won’t freeze up…?”
She also mentioned that it meant he wouldn’t hesitate.
He felt a little disappointed that this power, which didn’t seem very useful in combat, was his only forte. Fear and hesitation could be easily shaken off by anyone who made up their mind, couldn’t they? He didn’t think it was a particularly advantageous ability.
“Hahaha. You’re thinking such rude thoughts, Rainer-chan. Your heart is too strong, so you seem unable to understand other people’s fear or hesitation. Even knowing that humans have such emotions, you can’t empathize with them. You’re just like Hidaki Sister and Legacy!”
“Wait. Did you just equate me with that Palinkron just now?”
Thinking it was the greatest insult in the world, he stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes.
“No, I didn’t equate you. That’s because Palinkron Legacy’s ‘intuition’ and ‘luck’ were far superior, surpassing your greatest strength, ‘mental strength.’ And that Hidaki Sister, she surpassed everything Palinkron Legacy had. You’re similar, but there’s a difference as vast as heaven and earth.”
Even though they were similar, he was clearly told he was still falling far short.
He could understand why that Palinkron guy was strong in ways other than his Status. However, the idea that Christ’s sister surpassed that man was a little hard to believe. If that were true, his sister’s danger level would be terrifying. Tiara-san’s gaze seemed to read that anxiety again and she answered.
“It’s best to have that kind of perception. Hidaki Sister is dangerous, extremely dangerous. Honestly, even in my prime, I don’t think I could win against her.”
“You’re saying that about someone like you, a Saint…”
He had just glimpsed Tiara-san’s power. If she had regained her original body, she would likely rival Christ and Titty. Yet, she spoke as if it were a level that dictated surrender before the battle even began.
“Despite having that kind of power, Hidaki Sister had the worst personality. Her motto was to eliminate anything that stood in her way, and she was incredibly ruthless. I’m sure you wouldn’t get along with any of you, Rainer-chan.”
“S-such a person? Is that why you said earlier that ‘I would fight with your sister’?”
“Yes, I will fight. Hidaki Sister will undoubtedly do something ‘that no one in the world could ever accept.’ I heard it directly from her, so there’s no mistake.”
Tiara-san spoke enigmatically about Christ’s sister. However, she had been vague about his sister so far. He decided to ask for details now that he had time.
“Tiara-san. If you have time, could you tell me more about those past events? Honestly, I’m very curious… What exactly is your sister trying to do…?”
“…Hmm.”
Tiara-san hesitated here. Her usual casual demeanor made her deep consideration stand out. After thinking for a sufficient amount of time, she smiled again—and shook her head.
“No, no, no. Training you is the priority, rather than something you’ll find out eventually. You need to have the strength to deal with Hidaki Sister first!”
She was clearly trying to evade the question. He felt he should step back, understanding her desire not to reveal it. However, when it came to Christ’s relative, he couldn’t easily back down.
“Even if you say I’ll find out eventually… I won’t be convinced by that. If your sister goes down the wrong path, I might be able to stop her. Just a little, please tell me briefly the important parts.”
“Even if you say just the important parts… I’d have to tell you everything since I was born for you to absolutely believe me. But if I were to tell you all that, it wouldn’t end in one day… Hmm, nope, it’s no good! Just give up on this! You can’t stop her even if you know! Besides, I couldn’t stop her, so there’s no way you can, Rainer-chan! The biggest problem right now is that you’re too weak to fight when Hidaki Sister awakens!”
Apparently, his weakness was the biggest problem. When his own trash-like nature was used as a reason, it was hard for him to argue back. As she said, Rainer Helvirshine lacked strength; he had keenly felt this during his battle with Nosfy.
He decided to prioritize insurance for when a fight occurred, over the reasons for the fight.
“…Okay. If you don’t want to say it, then fine. I also want to spend more time getting stronger. If something happens, then I’ll just have to stop it with all my might.”
“Yes, exactly! That’s why I like you, Rainer-chan! Unlike someone else, you don’t waste time agonizing, so we can talk quickly! Being true to yourself is a virtue greater than intelligence!”
He felt as though the master had been subtly insulted, but he largely agreed and decided to accept it as praise.
With that, we brought the derailed conversation back on track and resumed our training.
“All right, shall we continue with the special training? First, I’ll help Liner-chan develop the mental fortitude to take on any powerful opponent continuously. Also, I’ll teach you some skills along the way.”
“No, I’d prefer if you focused on teaching me skills…”
“You can learn those kinds of things from the Labyrinth’s Guardians or something. It’s designed so that you get stronger just by delving into it. If you fight the bosses and guardians that appear there, you’ll naturally become stronger eventually. Mental strength is more important, seriously important.”
They explained the place where the Allied Nations were risking their lives to conquer as if it were just a good hunting ground. However, if one could really get stronger there so easily, I wouldn’t have even met Christ.
“Don’t assume everyone can become strong like you… Shall I tell you how many times I’ve almost died fighting Labyrinth bosses and guardians…?”
“…Ah, I see what you mean. You’re too weak to begin with, so even trying hard in the Labyrinth is difficult, huh? …Well, I suppose. In that case, I’ll have you learn the minimum necessary skills first.”
“I’m grateful. Please do that.”
My new master wasn’t stubborn and flexibly incorporated my request.
And I waited for the continuation of her training, a little excited to see what kind of training a legendary Saint would impose.
“Alright, then, first of all, this. –Magic《Light Cuffs》.”
Tiara-san made her hands glow white and cast magic on my wrists. It was light magic, yet it had a definite weight. Simply put, it was a pair of pure white handcuffs.
“Okay, next is this. Put it on your head.”
What she handed me next was a very nostalgic training item – a black hand towel.
“Handcuffs and a blindfold…? W-what again…”
“Huh? Again?”
“Aid and Rowen made me do similar training.”
“Oh, those two…? And you’re on the verge of grasping a fragment of the ‘Thief of Principles’ skill, ‘Sensation.’ Thanks to ‘Thief of Laws of Wood,’ you have a foundation in magic too…”
Regarding the basics of magic, my elder sister Titty’s influence was also significant.
And from Christ as well… I have a feeling his help was useful. No, not really. That technique was just a haphazard thing in the end. I just endured pointless humiliation.
“Your Wind Magic is quite good, but let’s learn the skill first. Learning one skill, ‘Sensation,’ will make you stronger than learning a hundred kinds of magic.”
“Skill ‘Sensation’…? Can I learn it too…?”
“No, probably not, ever. It’s a skill that ordinary people can’t reach even by a narrow margin, you know.”
“Hey.”
I was teased about a skill I had always admired, and a little bit of killing intent leaked out.
It should be permissible to strike her once by now.
“Don’t get angry! I’m not saying it to be mean; I’m just saying I can’t guarantee it. That skill, even for me, I can’t say I can definitely teach it to you. Let’s train with the mindset that it’s lucky if you can learn it.”
It seemed the difficulty of Rowen-san’s skill was simply an issue. It didn’t seem like she brought it up to betray my expectations, so I reluctantly nodded.
“I understand. I knew from the start that it wasn’t a skill one could easily learn. I’ll aim for this skill by staking my mundane life.”
“All right then, we’ll challenge the skill ‘Sensation’ in parallel while developing the main ‘unquantifiable value.’ What should the training content be for that?”
Tiara-san put her hand on her chin and pondered lightly.
However, her “Mmmph” sound lasted only a few seconds before she quickly arrived at an answer. Like Rustiara, she seemed to be the type who didn’t ponder much.
“All right! From now on, I’ll have you experience near-death situations repeatedly! I think that’s probably the fastest way.”
“Just hearing that makes me want to go home…”
She casually brought up the word “near-death.” Even for me, who undergoes somewhat reckless training, I doubted if that could be called training.
“By repeating near-death experiences, you’ll train your mind and senses. This is a training method that everyone from a thousand years ago has verified, so don’t worry.”
I’m not doubting Tiara-san’s words. As she says, there are things one can gain by almost dying.
However, no matter how verified it is, there are things one doesn’t want to try.
Most importantly, dying ignobly in training rather than in practice is something my mission cannot permit.
“I promise I won’t let you die. With me here, it’s all right.”
Seeing my unenthusiastic face, Tiara-san emphasized that she was the originator of magic.
Presumably, Tiara-san is the wizard most adept at handling healing magic in the world. However, her current magic power is low, and there are too many uncertain factors.
I still couldn’t nod and continued to furrow my brow.
“If it gets dangerous, I will use my full ‘Divine Magic,’ even if it means depleting my own life. I promise I won’t let you die, no matter what. Trust me, Liner-chan.”
Perhaps impatient with my reluctance, she even went so far as to say she would deplete her life.
I had no choice but to respond.
“No, I just wanted to say that there might be other ways, without going that far—”
“Let me do this. My last duty is to make Rainer-chan strong. I don’t want to have any regrets by doing things halfway here.”
Tiara-san, with a deathly pale blue face, declared that she would give everything for me. I had thought she was strangely fixated on me for a while, but I never imagined it would be to this extent. I asked her the reason for her obsession.
“Tiara-san, why are you going this far for me…?”
“…Perhaps it’s because there are many things I want you to do?”
“I understand that. If Christ and my sister are about to go down the wrong path, I just need to fight, right? I promise as thanks for this training. Besides, if such a situation were to arise, I’d have no choice but to act for the Lord, so that’s a certainty.”
“Yes, I am relieved about that. However, what I expect is not just that. Actually.”
It seemed there were still other things she wanted me to do. I prompted Tiara-san with my eyes to continue. She replied, looking at me with eyes that were a little shy—but with the most sincere gaze of the day.
—It was a prophecy-like curse that would decide my life.
“Above all, I… want a child like you to reach the Deepest Part.”
“Huh? The Deepest Part…?”
“Not those who became strong by stealing reason, nor the Apostles Diplakla or Sis, nor Legacy, nor those chosen by saints, nor the foreign Aikawa Siblings, but an ordinary human born in this world, not particularly strong like you—”
Leaving me bewildered, Tiara-san poured out the rest of her words. The names she mentioned were all legendary figures from a thousand years ago. However, dispelling all of them, the saint of Revannism, as told on this continent, wished for my attainment—
“—I want you to aim for the Deepest Part of the Other World Labyrinth. And save the world.”
It was too grand a story. I couldn’t grasp it, nor could I feel any empathy. Naturally, without thinking, I shook my head.
“Sorry, Tiara-san. That’s impossible. It’s a wish that has nothing to do with me. Honestly, I have no interest in labyrinth攻略 or world peace. Please ask someone else for that…”
If Christ were to invite me for Dungeon Exploration, I would gladly cooperate. However, at that time, it would be Christ who reached the Deepest Part, not me. What I desire is to protect a few—just a few—important people within my reach. I believe I will fulfill that mission until the day I die. I evaluate myself to have only that much capacity. Yet, to suddenly be asked to save the world is problematic. It’s an issue beyond empathy; it’s realistically impossible.
“Yes. I thought Rainer-chan would say that. You really don’t seem interested in labyrinths. Well, I won’t force you, so just keep it in the back of your mind, that’s all I ask.”
Tiara-san backed down with surprising ease. It seemed she knew from the start that I would refuse. And, even knowing she would be refused, I somehow understood what she wanted to tell me.
“In the back of my mind, I guess…”
“Then the talk is over. It got long, so let’s resume training quickly. But we need to move a little. It’s too close to town here, and someone might see us.”
She must have finished saying everything she wanted to say. Tiara-san suddenly began to move briskly. She didn’t seem inclined to answer my questions anymore. Sighing, I went along with her.
“It would be bad if your appearance were seen… Shall we go farther away?”
“Yes. Preferably somewhere like a hidden area. Ideally, somewhere with a decent amount of Monsters and danger.”
“Are you training against Monsters? In that case, I know just the place. Over there, there’s a forest where we can mine Magic Stones, and if you go further north, there’s a deep valley—”
“Mmm-hmm. There’s an interesting place—”
Tiara-san and I moved together across the plains, entering the dangerous areas of the Frontier.
—Thus, the conversation with Saint Tiara ended, and the full-fledged training began.
The content of that day’s training was very simple. Very simple and very Unreasonable. Upon arriving at a valley infested with Monsters in the Frontier, Tiara-san attacked me from behind by surprise—she mercilessly depleted my Magic Power with Magic I had never seen before, polluted my mind, and then threw me off a cliff while I was blindfolded and handcuffed.
A slight mistake would have resulted in instant death, from which recovery Magic would not have been effective. If I hadn’t protected my head with my arms while falling down the cliff, I would have truly died. The experience of near-death, without exaggeration, was a reality I felt surrounded by a horde of Monsters at the bottom of the valley.
However, that was just the preliminary first training. From then on, I continued a slightly harsh regimen of being killed once a day and honing my Magic and Skills—passing the time until the Ceremony.
