Chapter 223
Four Swords (4)
As soon as Cecil spoke, Luna turned away and went on her way.
“Do you dislike Luna?”
“Huh?”
“Just asking.”
Cecil, like a puppy, watched for my reaction. Perhaps sensing my mental fatigue, her demeanor softened.
However, she didn’t try to completely hide her true feelings.
Cecil crossed her arms and averted her gaze, grumbling.
“It’s… annoying.”
“Why?”
T h i s was c o p i e d from k in gm t l . o r g
“There are many things you don’t know. She invaded my space and deceived me, and during that camping trip while you were asleep… never mind.”
“What is it?”
“It’s just something that only women would understand. Are you close with Luna?”
“Luna has no real friends besides me. I don’t have many either.”
“…Really? Who else?”
Cecil’s eyes had a peculiar glint.
“…Someone you know too?”
“Sion?”
“She’s somewhere between a friend and an acquaintance.”
“Then why did you go on a date with Sion in Rigved?”
She must be talking about the time I saw Sion for divination. She was extremely upset about it before. Is she still holding a grudge?
“I told you before, it wasn’t a date.”
“Then what was it?”
“Her teacher asked me to spend time with her.”
“Isn’t that a date?”
“I was paid, so it was a job, wasn’t it?”
Cecil suddenly pushed something against my chest. It was an invitation card, adorned with dried flowers.
“Mine isn’t an assignment, nor does it require a fee or coercion. But if you don’t come, I’ll kill you myself.”
“…Alright. I’ll voluntarily attend.”
“It’s in a week! An artist from Claridyum is moving to Rigved and there’s a big event. The Art Club will be going there soon, so you can make connections and gather information. I have classes, so I’ll be there too!”
With her business concluded, Cecil turned to leave. Then she suddenly turned back to me as if she remembered something.
“By the way, that rumor about you massaging Sion’s legs on the date…”
“It’s nonsense.”
“Right? I figured. My legs are much nicer anyway.”
“…?”
Cecil turned and walked away. After a few steps, she looked back at me again.
“Do you like clothes that show off legs?”
T hi s was c op ie d f r o m ki n gm t l .o r g
***
After dinner, a light drizzle began to fall.
The wooden sword was still sulking, and the Magic Sword showed no signs of wanting to communicate.
Trisha, who liked the rain, wrapped herself in a blanket and sat by my window, engrossed in reading a script.
That day, I peacefully finished my tasks and headed to the Forbidden Forest.
Calios was waiting in the same spot as yesterday. He sat on the gravestone, flipping through some documents.
“Have you tried talking to the Magic Sword?”
“I did as you suggested, but it still doesn’t work.”
“Hmm, I see. By the way, all your friends are mages.”
“Not all of them.”
“Do you like women with long hair? Why?”
T h is w as c o p i e d fr o m k i ngm t l . or g
What on earth is he talking about?
“I don’t particularly prefer them. But is that… okay?”
Th i s wa s c o p i e d f ro m k ing mt l. o rg
“You’re talking about me going through your personal records?”
So, that’s what he was flipping through earlier.
“No, I mean the gravestone.”
“Don’t mind it. If I had died and this guy survived, he would’ve been sitting on my grave too.”
“…”
He doesn’t adhere to formality or convention. Usually, the older one gets, the more they cling to such things. Even though he once held a high position in the Empire, Calios acts unconventionally.
“Is there a particular reason you favor mages?”
“I didn’t favor them because they were mages. We became friends, and it turned out they were mages. And I do have friends who aren’t mages.”
“Who? Name them.”
“…There’s Sion, and Cecil isn’t a mage either.”
“You never know. They could’ve been born mages and just changed their career paths.”
“If you twist things like that, even a newborn could be labeled a criminal.”
Calios continued to delve into my personal history.
“Even your mentor is a mage.”
“That’s not unusual.”
Calios shook his head.
“But you should be cautious. It seems you think mages are the same as humans. You lack any sense of danger.”
“Are you saying mages aren’t human?”
T h i s was c o p i e d f r om k i n g m t l. o r g
“Mages are born completely different from humans. They just look similar on the outside. Their intrinsic nature is entirely different.”
T h i s w a s co pi e d f r o m k i ng mt l . o r g
“In what way?”
“Mages control nature from birth. They can kill an adult human the moment they are born. There have been countless accidents like that. Mages age slower than even elves. Do you think that’s a natural human trait?”
T h is w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i n g m tl . or g
“…”
“The highest-ranking mages, nine out of ten, are single. Do you know why?”
“Why?”
“The way mages form relationships is different from humans. Mages can’t feel love. They lack that function from birth. They have no reason to have children and preserve their lineage. They also have no reason to find a partner.”
“…”
“They may have attachment, friendship, or bonds, but truly loving another is impossible.”
“That seems like a rather radical assertion.”
He was planting seeds of doubt in me. Two mages who had left significant marks in my life came to mind, but I tried to push the thoughts away.
Calios looked at me with a firm gaze and spoke with conviction.
“Do you think I’m trying to mess with you? Don’t worry, I have no desire to insult my countless mage comrades by joking about this. No one has researched this, but I know. I have countless samples in my head.”
“Are married mages just frauds then?”
“They’re hybrids pretending to be mages. Pure mages can’t love. They only love themselves. Sometimes, they mistake attachment or friendship from their childhood for love and act like lovers due to societal norms. But that’s not love.”
T hi s w as co p i e d f r o m k i ng m t l . o rg
“…”
Calios scrutinized me with sharp eyes. It felt like a venomous snake was crawling through my insides.
“You’ve fallen in love with a mage, haven’t you?”
With terrifying accuracy, he saw right through me. I thought I had maintained a composed appearance. How did he know?
A sly smile played on his lips. It was as if he had dealt with countless people like me.
“Yes, my feelings towards Master Silveryn are like that.”
“Sure, your master also cares for and loves her apprentice. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”
T h i s w a s c o p ie d f ro m k i ng m tl .o r g
He had seen through all my defenses.
Calios’s words slashed through my insides. His sharp insights probed my nerves, inching closer to my core.
“Didn’t you call me here for training?”
“Your defense mechanisms are coming out. I’m not here to torment you. This is a necessary step. Look at me.”
“…”
Calios had a gaze forged from experience, age, and self-assurance.
“I know what you want to ask. You want to know if she truly loved you.”
I closed my eyes tightly. What do I want to hear? Honestly, I don’t even know.
“Even if all mages are like that, there could be exceptions.”
“That’s as rare as snow in the desert. Only if a trace of human blood emerges. The purer the mage blood, the less likely it is. You want to believe she was sincere at that moment.”
“I have countless pieces of evidence in my head too.”
“Ha, they all say the same thing. It’s predictable! They whisper about soulmates and then leave suddenly, as if they had never cared. Cruelly and coldly. Do you know why? They realize their feelings weren’t love! It’s what every poor soul deceived by a mage goes through.”
“…I can distinguish between truth and deception.”
“Did she sacrifice her life for you?”
“…”
“That’s the only distinction. Did someone who only loves themselves ever risk their life for you? Did they choose you above all else?”
“Risking one’s life isn’t a common occurrence. To prove that…”
“But you must have had the chance to confirm it.”
“…”
I couldn’t answer.
T hi s wa s c o p i e d fr om k in g m t l.o r g
It felt like my heart was melting, covered in dark, viscous tar.
Did Liza ever give up everything for me? Even when I was stabbed by a Wraith and thrown off a cliff, I never regretted it. I believed it was worth it.
But Liza…
“If your partner left, it’s one of two things. Either they still love you despite the separation, or they never loved you at all.”
“…”
“I think I know which it is, looking at you.”
“…”
“It’s best to sort out lingering feelings quickly. That polluted residue is tainting not only your potential but also the power of your Magic Sword. Come again tomorrow. The real training will begin then.”
Calios left abruptly after those words.
I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t tell where I was or what was in front of me.
I wandered through my memories, trying to ask every version of Liza in my past.
Did you truly love me?
No answer came.
And now, I had neither the motivation nor the strength to defend the Liza of the past.
End of Chapter