“Ugh… I’m dead.”
Right after the fight with the Tower Lord.
Before I could even savor the joy of victory, a groan escaped my lips as pain surged through my entire body.
Having explosively used two types of aura and pushed my swordsmanship to its limits, there wasn’t a single part of me that wasn’t battered.
Suppressing the urge to collapse right then and there, I stumbled toward the Tower Lord’s corpse.
“Bahamut.”
The great sorcerer who had desperately unleashed death mana until the very end.
The Tower Lord, who had ultimately been split in two, becoming “Baha” and “Munt,” lay there with crimson blood pooling around him, his eyes wide in disbelief.
It wasn’t a pleasant sight, but I didn’t look away, taking in the result of the battle.
There might be more unexpected situations like this in the future, where I’d face off against formidable enemies.
The butterfly effect caused by my interference in the original story could manifest at any time, in any place, and in any form.
There was no way to predict it.
But I had already prepared myself for that.
I won’t be afraid.
I’ll keep moving forward.
Because I believe this is the right path.
And because I have the strength to see this belief through.
‘Strength. Speaking of which, I felt like I had some kind of epiphany during the battle earlier…’
Just a moment ago, while pushing my swordsmanship to its limits to bring down the mana bullets.
As I swung dozens of sword energies simultaneously, something clicked in my mind.
What was it?
I was too preoccupied during the battle, but if I were to put it into words now…
When you wield a sword or sword energy, focusing on precise movements and efficiency, you gradually strip away the unnecessary.
Through this process of shedding the unnecessary, what you ultimately reach is the most fundamental essence.
That’s what I thought.
And the conclusion I reached was that the most fundamental essence is the mind.
It might sound like nonsense at first…
But isn’t aura itself the manifestation of will infused into mana?
In the end, the will and mindset of the person wielding the sword are what truly matter.
By honing and refining your mind, there comes a point where you can wield a sword with nothing but a well-polished mind.
That, I believe, is the true essence of the “Heart Sword.”
“The Heart Sword.”
Well, that’s quite something.
In the original story, Luke reached the level of a Grandmaster and used the Heart Sword to defeat the final boss.
Does that mean I’ve reached the level of a Grandmaster now?
No, not quite.
I’ve gained some insight, but I still don’t know how to use the Heart Sword yet.
Still, I definitely feel like I’ve taken a step closer.
As I pondered over what to focus on during my training sessions, the muffled sensation in my ears faded, and the strange distortion in space disappeared.
‘The spatial barrier magic has been lifted.’
“Lord Behirit!”
“Your Grace!”
“My lord!”
At that moment, three women burst through the crumbling dome and rushed toward me.
Raphaella, Justia, and Elda.
Three beauties, each with their own distinct personalities.
Their faces were etched with desperation, clearly having been deeply worried.
Seeing their expressions, the reality that the battle was truly over sank in, and a small smile formed on my lips.
‘Wait, what’s this about “my lord”?’
Who’s calling me that?
For a moment, I was dumbfounded.
I had never seen Elda use the term “my lord” in the original story.
Wondering if there was someone else nearby, I glanced around, but Elda, who had reached me, flinched upon seeing the Tower Lord’s corpse.
“Ah… So it’s already over?”
“Yeah. It was nothing. Sorry for worrying you all.”
“Calling a victory against the Tower Lord, who even took hostages, ‘nothing’… More importantly, are you hurt anywhere? Ah, your nose is bleeding!”
“It’s just a nosebleed. It’s already stopped, so don’t make a fuss…”
“Wait a moment. Excuse me!”
Without waiting for my response, Elda began wiping the blood from my nose with her own hand.
As she leaned in closer, her long eyelashes and deep cleavage came into full view.
‘Well, this is nice…’
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if we were close enough for her to do something like this.
Was she just being attentive because I’d been through a life-and-death struggle?
Feeling both grateful and slightly embarrassed, I let her tend to me.
Meanwhile, Raphaella and Justia approached.
“Lord Behirit…! I’ve committed a grave sin. I should have stopped that mad old man before he could pull any tricks!”
“Your Grace! Are you alright?”
“Just a bit tired, but otherwise fine. I’ve caused you all unnecessary worry. Raphaella, don’t overthink it. I didn’t expect the Tower Lord to go this far either.”
The women crowded around me, inspecting my body for injuries.
Raphaella was trembling as if she were suffering from anxiety, while Justia’s eyes were glistening with tears, clearly having been deeply worried.
I reassured them as best as I could, telling them I was fine.
“That’s a relief… Truly a relief…”
But then Justia clenched her small fists and sniffled.
Ah, so they were this worried about me.
This is actually really touching…
As I reached out to pat Justia’s head to comfort her, her expression suddenly changed.
“But what did you mean earlier by calling him ‘my lord’? I’d like an explanation from both of you.”
“…”
“Hmm.”
Her tone was icy.
Had she activated an Ice Age spell without me noticing?
The temperature in the arena seemed to drop instantly.
And why are you asking me, Justia?
I’m just as curious as you are.
I turned my gaze toward Elda, silently passing the question to her.
She fidgeted awkwardly before slowly opening her mouth.
“Uh, well… You see, in the northern tribes, there’s a custom of calling the man you respect the most ‘my lord.’ It’s a strange custom, isn’t it? Ahaha.”
Elda avoided Justia’s gaze and scratched her head.
Did the word “my lord” have a different meaning in the northern tribes?
Raphaella and Justia narrowed their eyes at her awkward explanation.
‘Ah, whatever. Just let me rest already.’
Whether the northern tribes had such a strange custom or not, I just wanted to collapse onto a soft bed and rest.
Come to think of it, Lucy had asked me to hold her today.
But in this state, I wouldn’t be able to do that. I’d have to postpone it for a few days.
“The spatial magic has completely shattered!”
“Ugh, we’re alive!”
“Ah, Lord Paless, thank you!”
As I prepared to leave the stage with the three women, the audience, who had regained their senses, began to chatter noisily.
They couldn’t believe they had survived.
Some hugged each other in joy, while others prayed to their gods in gratitude.
Amid the noisy crowd, someone shouted loudly.
“Wait! Is there anyone dead or injured?”
“It seems like there isn’t.”
“I can’t believe it. Ten thousand people were taken hostage by a great sorcerer, and not a single one died or was injured?”
“This is a miracle…”
“It’s all thanks to Duke Beherit… no, the hero Licht!”
One of the audience members, overwhelmed with joy, shouted fervently.
A hero, huh…
Despite everything, I’m technically a former final boss and a current demon lord of sorts.
But hearing such a grandiose title made me feel a bit embarrassed.
As I stood there awkwardly, someone else from the audience began to shout loudly, their voice cutting through the noise.
“Licht! Licht!”
The voice, clear and resonant, echoed from the audience to the stage.
For that person, being able to live on must have meant so much.
Their voice was filled with joy and cheers.
And that joy and cheering spread like wildfire.
Soon, the sound of people chanting my name grew louder and louder.
Before long.
The arena was filled with a roar louder than any other moment during the Sword Demon Festival.
“Licht!!! Licht!!!”
The crowd chanted my name, their voices shaking the very ground.
Feeling awkward, I glanced to the side and saw the three women smiling softly at me.
Well, a hero, huh…
It’s an embarrassing title, but it feels worth it to have saved so many people.
As I walked through the deafening cheers, I suddenly recalled the message that had echoed in my mind when I awakened my special trait.
That I had come to this world to save someone.
Perhaps that didn’t just apply to the heroines, but to others as well?
Of course, the heroines are my top priority, but…
Looking at the women smiling at me now, I couldn’t help but feel that I had done the right thing by saving people.
As I walked with them through the cheers, I noticed Luke, who had apparently changed clothes, running toward me.
And Albireo, being restrained by the Imperial First Knight Order.
I fully savored the moment, feeling the Sword Demon Festival, which had been both short and long, come to a peaceful end.
***
A few days after the major incident on the final day of the Sword Demon Festival.
In a room on the top floor of the academy’s main building.
A woman with hair the color of the blue sky and sharp dragon horns gently touched the newspaper on her desk.
“Hmm.”
A curious hum escaped her lips.
Her bright, shining blue eyes.
And her voluptuous figure, clearly visible through her revealing dress.
Endless, the academy’s headmistress and the empire’s guardian dragon, softly brushed the newspaper with her hand and spoke in a low voice.
“Hey, Kyla. Do you know about what happened during the Sword Demon Festival?”
“Yes. Are you referring to the incident involving the Second Prince, Sir Gawain of the Imperial Second Knight Order, and Tower Lord Bahamut? I heard the Second Prince has been imprisoned. It’s hard to believe.”
The blue dragon’s question was answered by a sharp-featured beauty wearing glasses.
Endless waved her hand dismissively.
“Same here. But more importantly, isn’t the story about the hero, Duke Beherit, the most interesting part?”
Her tone was filled with curiosity, and her eyes sparkled.
The empire’s Tower Lord, the great sorcerer Bahamut Wizardros, had taken ten thousand spectators hostage in a major incident.
And the man who, in that utterly despairing situation, saved everyone without a single casualty—Beherit Develion.
Although his victory was ultimately revoked, he was not charged for concealing his identity and participating in the Sword Demon Festival, nor for killing the captain of the Imperial Second Knight Order.
Thanks to his actions, not only the academy students who participated in the festival but also the lives of the empire’s citizens were spared.
As the headmistress of the academy and the empire’s guardian dragon, this was not something she could simply overlook.
‘And personally, I’m quite intrigued.’
A hero who protected ten thousand hostages from the Tower Lord without a single injury.
Just how strong must one be to achieve such a feat?
Perhaps he could even help me.
After a moment of contemplation, Endless stood up.
“Kyla, I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Huh? You’ve already left your duties unattended, and now you’re leaving again? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to meet the Duke. I’ll be back soon, so take care of the paperwork for me!”
“Ah, no! Can’t you just send someone else?”
“Oh, come on. He’s a Duke. I should go myself. I’ll be back!”
“Headmistress!”
Kyla shouted in panic.
Having experienced the headmistress’s neglect of duty multiple times, she raised her voice in desperation.
“Damn it, you fool! There’s a mountain of work to be done today!”
Her futile cry echoed through the room as the blue dragon’s figure quickly disappeared.
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