“El… El…!”
I snapped out of it at the sudden call, my eyes opening wide. Still, it took a moment for the situation to sink in as I looked around to clear my head.
“If you’re tired, we can postpone today’s plans and just head home, right?”
“Yeah. You don’t look so good. It might be better to go rest.”
Hearing Anne and Yuli’s concerned voices brought today’s plans back to me. While trying to block Anne’s greatsword, my usual sword couldn’t withstand the impact and broke, leading us all to come out and order a new one.
“Not really. With the tournament coming up, I need to get used to a new sword as soon as possible. Let’s hurry.”
Even as I spoke, I pulled out the broken sword hanging at my waist.
Considering the Assassin’s Guild’s straitened circumstances, I’d have to spend quite a bit of money to craft this new blade. If it wasn’t a weapon, we wouldn’t even consider spending such an amount. Of course, “expensive” is a relative term for the impoverished Assassin’s Guild; this sword isn’t anything particularly special. It’s admirable that my old blade has held up this long.
“By the way, Selian, are you really not going to participate in the tournament?”
“I wanted to… but it seems it’s not possible. There’s nothing I can do. I’ll just cheer you both on from the stands.”
“I’ll cheer too, so don’t you two fail to win!”
“…Putting aside whether both of us can win, there’s only one champion, so how would both of us win?”
“That’s just encouraging you, right, Anne?”
“Yeah! I’ll definitely win!”
Anne’s confident voice was heard. I, too, am participating with the aim to win. But whispers about the other participants keep floating around, and they’re not ordinary at all. Apparently, with participants from all grades and majors, I can’t just confidently say I’ll win.
By the way, I’ve also heard that the winner receives the blessing of the Saint.
“Come to think of it, Selian, didn’t you meet the Saint a few days ago? How was it? Is she as pretty as the rumors say?”
“…El, sometimes you really sound like a boy.”
Oops, I let my inner thoughts slip.
But Selian, who wouldn’t suspect me of being a boy just from a simple slip-up, continued talking.
“Since the Celestial Festival is approaching, I did meet the Saint in my capacity as a Hero.”
Most people, unless they were close associates, wouldn’t get a chance to meet the face of the Saint.
But Selian was a Hero. It was natural for the Hero, as the Goddess’s sword and shield, to meet the Saint, who was the Goddess’s representative.
Thus, Selian had been looking forward to meeting the Saint she had only heard about in rumors.
But oddly, the expression on Selian’s face when she thought about the Saint was complex rather than joyous.
“Hmm, how to put it… she is pretty, but what really shocked me was being strong-armed into buying holy water.”
“Huh?”
Being forced to buy holy water? For a moment, I thought I had misheard.
“It was supposedly ‘super cheap’ or ‘a special discount for the Hero,’ and before I knew it, I somehow had several bottles of holy water in my hands.”
…Are we really talking about the Saint?
But the image of the Saint in my mind and the one Selian described as a street vendor in disguise were too different.
Clang!
In the middle of walking with three others, lost in my thoughts about the Saint, I bumped shoulders with a man approaching from ahead.
“Sorry…”
As I quickly bowed to apologize, something was slipped into my hand in a way that wouldn’t attract the attention of my friends.
Before I could react to the unexpected situation, the man who had bumped into me had already disappeared into the distance.
“That person’s really rude. He didn’t even apologize after bumping into you and then just ran off…”
“Don’t worry too much. If someone’s in a hurry, that can happen.”
Selian stood up for me, but I simply gave an awkward smile and let it go.
“Anyway, we’re almost at the weapon shop. Would you rather go in first? I had something to take care of but forgot. I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Then we can come with you…”
“No! It’s personal business, and it’ll only take a moment. You go ahead. I’ll follow soon.”
After persuading them a few times not to come with, they finally went in first. Then I immediately headed off.
The place I was heading to was a shadowy back alley nearby, indicated on the note in my hand.
There, the man I had bumped into earlier was driving out a group of ruffians that had been lounging in the alley.
“…What’s this about?”
Without letting anyone see, I moved deeper into the alley and asked the man.
“Now that your body has become female, your behavior has become entirely like a girl.”
“Stop the unnecessary talk and get to the point quickly. We can’t afford to be suspicious.”
“Hmm, is avoiding suspicion really about the mission? Earlier, I wasn’t sure if your cheerful laughter was an act or not.”
“…I can still pin you with this broken half-sword, so shut up and speak your mind before you disappear.”
I took out my broken sword from my waist and threatened him. Number 2 dramatically held up his hands in mock surrender as he spoke.
“Goodness, Number 3 has gotten so angry. Then, let’s get straight to the point. It’s a message from Master.”
I had a feeling that would happen.
“If you fail to assassinate the target within the prescribed period, we will not hold you accountable. Instead, handle the Hero properly now. This is your last chance.”
The original assassination contract was to kill Selian before she became the Hero.
However, not long ago, the Goddess ultimately selected Selian as the Hero, and I had failed in my mission.
Under normal circumstances, I should have immediately returned to the Guild to receive punishment, but I had ignored even that and continued to stay in the Academy.
And now, Number 2 had finally come to find me.
“Even though you failed your mission and were given another chance, it fits that you’re favored by the Master.”
After passing on the Master’s message, Number 2 returned to his condescending attitude.
“But this is the last time. Remember that there will be no next chance. If you fail again, the Master will likely take your life personally.”
I am bound to the Guild Master through the Master-Slave Mark. No matter my skills, if the Master decides to take my life, I have no way to prevent it.
“Ah! Who knows? Perhaps your female body might still have some utility, and your life might just be spared.”
“Shut up and get out, before I really kill you.”
“Yes, yes. Our junior is so fearsome, how can we linger?”
Number 2 turned and disappeared outside the alley, but I remained standing in the dark back alley for a while, silent.
*
“Why are you so late?! While waiting, I already found a decent sword for El!”
“Haha… sorry. It took longer than expected. Did you wait long?”
After barely calming my complicated mood, I quickly returned to the weapon shop where my friends were.
My friends had already picked out a sword for me while waiting.
When I took the sword Anne offered, it looked very similar in size and appearance to my previous one.
“What do you think? I selected a sword as similar as possible to the one you used before, so it wouldn’t feel awkward…”
Not only the appearance but also the balance of weight when held was very close to the previous sword, so much so that there would be no obstruction if I used it in actual combat immediately. The edge seemed sharper than my old sword.
These friends, who knew me well, were the ones who could pick out such a sword.
“The price is a bit high, but don’t worry about that part. This is a gift from us three to you.”
Even last time during ‘Alicia’s’ birthday, they had prepared many gifts. My friends, who knew my situation, once again gifted me a sword as a present so I wouldn’t feel burdened.
Her kindness reminded me of the Master’s message.
The last chance.
Kill Selian the Hero and prolong my pitiful life, or be entangled in this short half-year relationship and lose my life.
Perhaps the punishment Number 2 mentioned might await me.
The lives of others and my own life.
For someone not foolish, it’s not even a question of choice.
Even a stray dog passing by knows how precious life is.
Because of this, my deliberations were brief, and I made a choice.
“No. I’ll take another one.”
I put down the sword they had chosen for me and picked up a random sword nearby.
In terms of appearance, balance, and size, it’s completely different from the sword I used to handle, making it awkward to hold.
It will take a considerable amount of time to get used to this sword.
For someone not foolish, there is no reason to do such a thing.
But it doesn’t matter.
Because I am a fool.
