Epilogue

The instant they returned from the labyrinth, Sain made a beeline for his hair dye and spare cloak. Only after he was appropriately blackened from head to toe did he make his way to the headmaster’s office, Melia at his side. Alicia did not accompany them, having been forced by Sain to go to the infirmary. Though he’d used his powers as a holy knight to protect her from the corruption of Chaos, their journey through the labyrinth had definitely taken the toughest toll on her. And so, out of caution, he had urged her to take some time to rest.

Upon entering his office, Sain sat down in front of the headmaster, Mort.

“A demi-holy sword?”

The headmaster nodded in response to his question.

“Demi-holy swords are weapons for which we’ve managed to simulate the blessing of the goddess. They’re one rank inferior to holy swords that have received the actual blessing, hence the demi in the name. Even I wouldn’t leave a real holy sword unguarded. I’m not senile. ...Not yet, at least. That’s why all the holy and doom swords I’ve placed in the labyrinth are demis. I do have real ones, but I wouldn’t dare leave those.”

The moment he sat down, Sain had demanded an explanation. A fake holy sword had been placed in the labyrinth, and he wanted to know why. The sword that Alicia had discovered wasn’t one created by Chaos but, rather, was a preexisting holy sword that had been corrupted and transformed. The problem was that holy swords were imbued with the blessing of the goddess, meaning there was no way that garden-variety Chaos could possibly corrupt them. The answer he had received was the existence of demi-holy swords.

“B-But, I was told in instrumentology class that both were in the labyrinth...”

“Mm. Well, to be fair, the definition of a holy sword is rather vague to begin with. In general, the term can refer to any of three things: A sword of the goddess, like the one you hold; a man-made sword that has been given a blessing; and, as I just mentioned, a demi-sword.”

“I... I see... I had no idea.”

“Oh ho ho. You still have much to learn of the common world. You were right to come to this academy, for here you shall find the knowledge that you lack. Please do feel free to study to your heart’s content.”

Sain gave a frustrated grunt. During his days on active duty as holy knight, he’d been surrounded by Vicitaelists. To them, there was only one holy sword—the sword of the goddess that only he was allowed to wield. As a result, he’d always assumed that the term ‘holy sword’ referred specifically to the type of sword he held. He had to admit, the headmaster was right; he was indeed lacking in worldly knowledge.

“With that said... the fact it was just a demi-sword resulted in its corruption by Chaos. That was certainly something I didn’t see coming...” said the headmaster in a more humble tone.

Sain returned a nod.

“Imbuing a weapon with imperfect holiness will instead draw Chaos to it. True holy and doom swords wouldn’t have fallen to corruption. Please be more careful in the future.”

“Duly noted. I’ll have the others placed in the labyrinth retrieved right away.”

Jenifa Royal Magic Academy was famous for having produced many generations of exceptional talent. Accordingly, many of its headmasters had also been exceptional. Mort Dartens was no exception, having made a name for himself as a talented mage long before he took on the role of headmaster. As such, he was also aware of the existence of Chaos.

“There’s one thing that bugs me though,” Sain noted.

“Oh? Do tell.”

“There were two places where we sensed the presence of Chaos. One was in the labyrinth... and the other was at the labyrinth gate.”

The headmaster raised an eyebrow but remained silent, as if gesturing for Sain to continue.

“More specifically, it wasn’t so much a presence that I sensed at the labyrinth gate, but rather it was a lingering trace. There’s a significant possibility that the Chaos in the labyrinth was directly placed there by someone. Someone who transported it from here through the labyrinth gate.”

“In other words... You think someone in league with Chaos resides at this academy?”

“Yes. That, or such a person was here in the past.”

The labyrinth gate was situated on academy grounds, placing it inside the barrier. And as the barrier only allowed entry to authorized personnel, the person who used the gate had to have been someone from the academy.

“I understand that you wish to keep your identity hidden, but if it’s at all possible—”

“Don’t worry. I’m too far in to be backing out now. I’ll do some investigating on my own time as well.”

“That would be much appreciated. I’m sorry to trouble you with this, but as a fivekind, Chaos is a rather thorny opponent for me.”

“It’s fine. Besides, my school life is important to me, and I’d rather not have it jeopardized. Worst case scenario, I might call for backup from attendants in other lands. If it comes to that, I’ll need you to help provide some cover.”

“Oh ho ho, leave it to me. ...By the way, if you could perhaps remind me... Why was it you ventured into the labyrinth again?”

“Now that, my dear headmaster, is a foolish question. Why else?” Sain flashed him a wide, toothy grin. “To obtain the symbol of a dark knight, a doom sword, of course!”

“Ah. Is that why you said you were interested in man-made holy swords?”

“Well, man-made holy swords can be reforged into doom swords, right?”

“I see. But... why bother? You can’t use doom swords anyway.”

“...Huh?”

Sain blinked a few times with a blank expression.

“As a holy knight, the power coursing through you is the polar opposite of darkness. No matter how many seals you put on, the second you touch a doom sword, you’ll just purify its darkness and it’ll end up being a regular old sword.”

“Wh-What?! W-W-Wait, are you serious?! Really?!”

“There’s only so much seals can do, you know. They can keep your power in check on a daily basis, but they can’t control a reflexive release of power. In fact... I’m pretty sure this was already attempted by one of your predecessors.”

“But... But, I...”

The gears turning in Sain’s head grinded to a halt, resulting in what could only be described as a minor mental meltdown. Speechless, his knees gave in and he fell forward onto all fours.

The headmaster regarded him with a pitiful look.

“In any case, your school life has only just begun. I’m sure there’s plenty of excitement to come, so... erm, try your best.”

The headmaster’s words of comfort fell on deaf ears, and, for quite some time, Sain could only stare wordlessly at the ground.

After leaving the headmaster’s office, Sain shambled down the hallway. At his side was Melia.

“...So, what next?” she asked.

“...To be safe, we’ll go check on Miss Gold.”

“Understood.” Melia nodded before glancing at the empty husk of her master. “Don’t start moping now. What’s the big deal? It’s just another setback. Business as usual, right?”

“...Mercilessly blunt, as always.”

Sain mulled over her words.

Business as usual, huh.

It was indeed, he decided, business as usual. As a holy knight, Sain was never going to have an easy time becoming a dark knight. They were diametrically opposed beings. To this day, he’d been repeating a constant cycle of discovery and disappointment. Time and time again, he’d find a possibility worth probing into, only to be let down in the end.

Just like Alicia.

Each wall he ran into was a painful reminder of the vast distance between him and his dream. Every cold lead was a bitter taste of despair. But it was a taste that he shared. She knew the bitterness just as well as he did.

“You’re right. I can’t afford to be moping over something like this.”

All he had to do was find another method—a new lead. No matter how many times he failed, so long as he kept looking... one day, he would find the path that led to his dream. Holding that belief close to his heart, he slapped both hands against his cheeks in an attempt to shake his negativity.

The two gradually made their way to the infirmary and, upon entering, were assaulted by the thick smell of medicines. The teacher on duty had likely stepped out as they were nowhere to be seen.

“Sain?”

Alicia was seated in the middle of three white beds. A warm breeze entered from an open window, gently brushing the golden strands of her hair. Sain lowered himself onto an adjacent chair.

“Does your body feel okay?”

“Yeah. They said there’s nothing wrong with me, and I’ll be able to return to class pretty soon.”

“Personally, I’d prefer it if you spent some more time resting.”

“No way. I’ll die of boredom.”

Sain was relieved to find her wearing her usual energetic smile. She didn’t seem to be putting up a front. Their physical and mental suffering had long passed its peak, and, after the turbulence of labyrinth exploration, a return to everyday life was necessary. He was glad they had made it back; all three of them probably shared in that sentiment.

There was a palpable relief in the air. Seeing the warm smile on Alicia’s face, Sain felt his own lips curving upward. A comfortable silence descended on the group and, for a while, no one spoke.

The silence was eventually broken by Alicia.

“Hey, Sain. I have a question,” she asked softly, shifting her gaze from the window toward Sain. “Should I... address you as Sir?”

Sain grimaced. He knew what her question implied. Normally, the holy knight was a target of admiration for the people. The Clan of Light held them in especially high regard, going as far as to hold them up as the ideal for clansmen to strive for.

“I’d rather you didn’t,” he said with a heavy sigh. “It’ll raise suspicions if people hear you. Moreover, as someone aiming to become the dark knight, the glory and esteem that comes with the power of the holy knight is unnecessary. So, please... I ask that you treat me the same as before.”

Given her experiences, he trusted that Alicia would understand. Surely, she took no pleasure in having her fire magic praised. He regarded her seriously, his expression showing no trace of levity, as he shared with her his innermost vulnerabilities. She quickly looked down at the sheets on her bed but, for a second, he was sure he had caught her beaming.

“...You know there’s no way I can treat you the same as before,” she whispered. Her fists tightened over the sheets, and her face crumpled slightly as if she was trying to work up a vast amount of courage. “After all that... After looking so cool, and believing in me, and pushing me forward... And on top of that, scarring me with your mark... How can you possibly expect me to see you in the same way?”

The tone of her voice danced between nervousness and joy, cracking at times and trembling at others. She pushed her hands forward, using them to support her weight as she leaned toward him. The last thing he noticed was the redness of her cheeks before something soft pressed against his own. A sweet aroma passed through his nose, and everything in his vision blurred except the sight of Alicia’s flushed face.

As his brain struggled to process what had just happened, she beamed at him with all the brightness of the sun.

“You’d better take responsibility for this,” she said with an embarrassed smile.

But, as he sat beside her with his mouth agape, Sain could offer her little more than a dumbfounded stare.