The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 70
EP.70 Deal (4)
“Then how have you trained up until now? Why bother seeking me out? You already knew how to meditate, didn’t you?”
“It’s because I’ve practiced hundreds of times.”
For the first time, there was a hint of emotion in the princess’s voice—tired, as though she were utterly exhausted. Yet, from what the Sword Saint observed, her physical condition now seemed far better than when she first climbed the mountain. She had already refined her inner strength.
“When I first climbed this mountain, I knew nothing. And the first time I learned meditation from you, I began from the moment I stepped through the door and repeated that time over and over again, gradually getting the hang of it.”
“Hmm?”
She had always given off a strange aura, but the words coming from this girl now were even more peculiar than her usual presence.
“Once I grasped the concept, I started again from the base of the mountain. No, I began before I even spoke to you.”
“Oh.”
Though what she said made no logical sense, both Jennifer and the Sword Saint listened calmly to the girl’s explanation.
Outside, the sun was beginning to rise.
“I calmed my mind, brought my body to its peak state, climbed the mountain again, learned meditation, and improved my physical condition further. When I go back, my body returns to its original state, but the memories and sensations I’ve gained remain intact.”
“I see.”
Frederick chuckled as he listened.
“So that’s how it was.”
“Master, do you really believe her story?”
“Do you not? From your expression, it seems like you’re more convinced after hearing it.”
Jennifer, too, was smiling, as if she found the whole situation amusing.
“Are you saying you can turn back time?”
The Sword Saint, now with a playful grin as though he had just unraveled a fascinating puzzle, pulled out a chair and gestured for the princess and his disciple to sit. He then took a seat at the cluttered table.
“Yes.”
“Interesting. But I have one objection.”
Seeing him smile as he spoke, the princess sat down in a corner of the room and asked,
“An objection?”
“Is this the first time we’ve had such a conversation?”
“Yes.”
With a slight furrow in her brow, the princess pondered his words. Frederick nodded in acknowledgment and spoke,
“Then consider this—what if it’s not time manipulation, but foresight?”
“Foresight… yet I can reverse time at will.”
“Or, to put it differently, could it be that you’re only seeing as far into the future as you want to? The future that you could not have known before.”
“……”
The princess tilted her head slightly in thought.
“Well, regardless of what I say, your own experiences are likely much closer to the truth than anything I could theorize.”
There was a scraping sound as Jennifer sat down on a chair.
“It’s a shame I didn’t offer our esteemed guest a cup of tea. Apologies. We’ve just run out.”
“No need.”
“You might even be older than me.”
Frederick mused.
“I don’t think I’ve turned back time that much.”
“A frog never remembers its time as a tadpole.”
“And what if a frog did remember its time as an egg?”
“Everyone has a few memories from their earliest days, but human memory is fragile. It can easily shatter from even the slightest trigger. Why, there are enough spells that manipulate memory to fill all ten fingers.”
“…”
Frederick watched the princess, lost in thought, and then spoke again.
“So, will you reverse this memory as well? You’ve already gained what you wanted.”
“…”
The princess remained silent, but her expression spoke volumes. There was a hint of discomfort, as if seeing someone she had encountered countless times now brought a certain familiarity.
“A new expression—”
Jennifer remarked with amusement.
“—you never showed any emotion before.”
At that moment, Frederick became certain that the princess would turn back time once again.
“In that case, what happens to our deal? If the deal is erased, wouldn’t that mean you owe us nothing?”
Frederick asked playfully.
I will compensate you in my own way for that.”
The princess replied.
“An interesting perspective.”
Jennifer chimed in.
“Receiving compensation for something we didn’t even do, isn’t that too much of a gain for us?”
“I have gained something, after all…”
“There’s no need for excessive formality.”
Frederick said with a laugh.
For someone who had lived over seventy years, witnessing this strange occurrence was far more valuable than the original terms of their deal. After seeing someone who could repeatedly turn back time, trying again and again until they achieved their goal without any innate talent, what use was a mere Sword Saint in comparison?
Seeing such an extraordinary human being—who, despite lacking talent, could bend time and persist until they succeeded—felt like the greatest reward Frederick could receive.
“If you truly want to repay me, then find me once before I die. When that time comes, I’ll try to guess your true identity. Don’t tell me anything; a riddle isn’t fun if the creator gives away too many hints.”
“…”
“You don’t have to avoid turning back time just because you owe us something. Go ahead and do as you wish. After all, isn’t that why you’ve trained under me for hundreds of repetitions?”
t wasn’t that Frederick had never taken on a disciple without talent before. But they always left—either crushed by the despair of their lack of talent or worn out by the arduous training.
This girl, however, was different.
Sure, he could speculate that she had the ability to turn back time, but even with such an ability, how many people would use it just to ‘work harder’?
Anyone could head to a racetrack, buy tickets for a winning horse, and grow rich without effort. There were countless ways to shape the world to your advantage and live in comfort.
Yet, this girl had chosen the difficult path without hesitation. Why?
There must be a purpose—something important enough to her that no other path mattered.
Frederick respected those who pursued a single goal with unwavering focus. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have let Jennifer into his life.
“Is that your final condition?”
The princess asked.
“Yes. I won’t remember it, but if you’ve endured so long under my training, you’re my disciple. Be proud of that wherever you go. The Sword Saint doesn’t accept many students, you know. Then again, not many come seeking me in this remote place.”
He chuckled.
Frederick’s laughter seemed strange to Princess Sylvia Fangriffon. This made Frederick even more pleased. Even if he didn’t remember, this moment of laughter would remain in her memory. And perhaps, if she truly thought of him as her master, she would return someday.
“Understood. I’ll be sure to remember.”
“My thoughts are a bit different.”
Jennifer, who had been quietly watching the warm conversation between the Sword Saint and the princess, finally spoke.
“To be honest, I would prefer you fulfill the terms of our deal. I’m a pragmatist.”
“…”
The princess gazed at her teacher silently for a moment, then nodded.
“…Understood.”
“Well, there’s no way for me to know if you don’t.”
Jennifer added with a shrug.
“Then tell me what I need to do and where I need to go when I leave this time. I will remember.”
“Hmm.”
Jennifer found the princess’ formal tone amusing, raising an eyebrow before responding.
“If that’s what you want, then fine. As long as you don’t rewind time right away, it’ll be a delight for me either way.”
“…”
The princess said nothing. If there had been a cup of tea before her, Frederick thought she would have silently sipped it. And he was sure that quiet image would suit her well.
*
After the two disciples left the mountain to fulfill part of the ‘conditions,’ Frederick sat alone in the silence of his cabin. He murmured to himself.
“If there’s something you need, please come in.”
“……”
The young man with fiery red hair entered without a word.
“You look a bit dazed, young man.”
Clicking his tongue, the young man, who had been staring blankly, walked over to the table where the Sword Saint was sitting and took a seat.
“Sorry, but there’s no tea.”
“I don’t have such noble tastes.”
“Good to hear.”
The Sword Saint said with a broad smile.
“You must be the swordsman the princess mentioned—the one who could be my equal.”
Frederick inspected him closely. This wasn’t just a matter of having talent. The young man standing before him might already be a level above Frederick, even after the Sword Saint’s seventy years of life.
“Impressive. Do you have any interest in crossing swords with me?”
“…What’s the point, when time’s going to be reset soon anyway?”
Frederick laughed at the young man’s response.
“You look like a child who’s just discovered the secret behind a magic trick and feels let down. What’s wrong? Do you miss the days when everything seemed wondrous?”
“……”
Leaving the young man, who looked somewhat sullen, the Sword Saint stood up. He walked over to the fireplace, took down the swords hanging above it, and began to strap them to his waist one by one.
“Hey, I said—”
“Listen, young man.”
The Sword Saint cut off the young man’s grumbling with a firm voice.
“Even if our world ends and is rewritten, we are here, sitting and talking right now. I believe we have a few hours left.”
“……”
“Even if the world ends tomorrow, those who are alive must continue to live. Remembering, thinking, and if this moment of our existence is here, no one can deny that fact. Not even the goddess above.”
The Sword Saint placed his hand on the hilt of his katana.
“Even if time resets, even if we forget, that is only a result. A result cannot erase its cause, can it? Even if time rewinds, for that girl, it still flows in one direction.”
Frederick showed a bold smile. His back was straight, and his feet were firmly planted on the ground.
That confident stance was truly that of the Sword Saint.
The kindly grandfatherly image from earlier was gone.
“So, young man, why don’t we cross swords and make the most of the time we have left?”
The red-haired young man, who had been staring blankly with his mouth slightly open, finally laughed shortly.
“Guess you’ve learned a thing or two in your long life, old man.”
Any trace of the young man’s disheartened look had already disappeared from his face.
“Alright, let’s have some fun while we can.”
His demeanor was that of a future Sword Saint.