It’s been six years since my parents were gone— no matter how much I wished, they never returned.

    It’s really depressing when I can’t even recall their faces.

    After all, my parents didn’t even leave their pictures behind…

    What remains with me are my hazy memories.

    While Kuroyuki and I finally sat down for our lunch, I told her about my parents’ disappearance that happened six years ago, at the Forest of the Black & White.

    …It was painful to recall those memories, but at the same time, I also felt relieved that Restia and the others were doing well.

    The effort that I devoted to them for six years has finally borne fruit— but… it’s coming to an end soon.

    ‘I’m going to die soon.’

    As if I could easily say such words to the girl— Kuroyuki Shiroha that was just in front of me.

    If I did, who knows how would she stop me…?

    I will take them down to my grave.

    Eventually, my story came to an end.

    However, there are some things I didn’t tell her, such as Principal’s actual identity as the King, my identity as the King Candidate and also the Highest Executive of Imperial Knights Academy, and my body deterioration side-effects caused by the ‘Twenty Seals’.

    “...That person, it was the principal, isn’t it?” Kuroyuki said to me with a tender smile.

    “What?! Of course not…!”

    I tried my best to act as if I do not know him, but it seems nothing escapes from Kuroyuki’s eyes.

    “...You know… after hearing your story… I’m really glad that I did not choose the others.” She said, with a smile.

    “Hmm...?” I then replied. “Say that again~?”

    “...Except for this personality.” She added, looking irritated.

    “Ouch, it hurts,” I replied. “If Nightwalker hears this, he’d dug a hole and buried himself.”

    “...He’s not as annoying as you to make me utter such words.”

    In a sense, that was so right in the spot that I couldn’t find anything to refute…

    “……Ouch.” I muttered.

    …and that was the only word I could find in my brain.

    “...Perhaps, maybe this makes you who you are,” Kuroyuki said to me with a smile.

    “…Right.”

    My empty brain eventually leads to our conversation coming to an end with a heavy atmosphere of silence and awkwardness.

    “...That reminds me...”

    However, Kuroyuki chooses to break the silence.

    “...Why is it tomorrow instead of today…?” She asked.

    What was it again…?

    Right, she’s talking about my next ?ssignment— retrieving the Black Sword.

    “Well… my supervisor (Principal) said I’m not strong enough to lift the sword,” I told her.

    “...I see,” Kuroyuki murmured, while placing her fingers below her chin. “...What do you want to know?”

    The Black Sword is the only mission that Kuroyuki had returned with a failure. Thus, her report on that ?ssignment was utterly blank.

    “Is it because of the weight of it that you failed...?” I asked.

    “...Indeed.” She replied. “...My own weight, that is.”

    “……Huh.”

    I was stunned for a moment.

    “...It’s a powerful gravity magic,” Kuroyuki told me. “...Perhaps only a magic expert could dispel this magic spell.”

    If it’s a magic expert… then Persia is probably the only person in S Class skilled enough to cast such magic.

    “...No wonder Principal wants the S Class students to join us for tomorrow.”

    BAM!

    “...W-Why...!?” Kuroyuki stood up from her chair and asked, looking afraid.

    “Relax.” I calmed her while giving a gesture with my hands. “Only Persia, August, Kronos, Rumelia and Blaze will be joining us.”

    “...Thank goodness.”

    Looking relieved, Kuroyuki sat down.

    But still…

    “That was a little unexpected. I thought you won’t be fine with Blaze coming along.” I muttered.

    “...If there’s a choice, I would rather prefer Persia not to come along instead of him.”

    That was completely unexpected!

    …I almost say that out loud.

    “Ehem, may I know why...?” I asked.

    When Kuroyuki switches to Persia, her eyes are drifting away.

    How scary.

    Really scary.

    What sort of trick did Persia have to make even Kuroyuki submit...?

    Which then, Kuroyuki sets her sight on me.

    “...Somehow, you and Persia sometimes were quite alike,” Kuroyuki told me.

    “Alike…? Which part of us?”

    “...Both of you are annoying.” She said blandly.

    I shouldn’t have asked.

    “Eh?” I inadvertently murmured.

    It was surprising, indeed.

    “Wasn’t she... always like this?” I said.

    “...It only applies to those that she is familiar with. I was surprised to see that she acted that way towards you, even though it’s the first time you’ve met.”

    “……How curious.” I murmured.

    “…There’s even rumours talking about Persia as a lesbian,” Kuroyuki muttered. “…Curious, indeed.”

    “…!?”

    Kuroyuki’s remark made me stunned, with my eyes widened.

    Come to think of it, Persia had this exceptional care for Kuroyuki and her touchy-feeling with Sherry…

    ‘Lucifer... Please believe me.’

    While recalling the past events that Persia did, I can’t seem to shake this sentence off from my head.

    …I don’t know what those words meant for now, but I’m sure the answer will be revealed if I gave her some time.

    As if, I have time.

    But— I should have an open mind before I make my own conclusions.

    “Kuroyuki... is that why you......?”

    For some reason, my voice gradually became smaller and came to a pause. Maybe it’s because I didn’t expect Kuroyuki to be the type to listen to rumours—

    “...I don’t believe in rumours— but she’s too clingy that it annoys me.” While muttering that, Kuroyuki heaved an annoyed sigh.

    —thank goodness, I wasn’t wrong about her.

    “That’s good to hear,” I said.

    Somehow, Kuroyuki glared at me afterwards.

    “...Are you worried about her...?” She asked me, with her cold gaze.

    “Yeah... somehow.”

    At first, I thought that she acted out of jealousy.

    But after noticing Kuroyuki’s right cheek twitched for a split second, I knew it was entirely something else that she’s angry about.

    “Erm, Kuroyuki...? Are you perhaps... angry?”

    So, I asked.

    I was hoping to see that her expression would soften a little— but, her glare remains.

    “…You should worry more about yourself instead of others.” She uttered to me.

    Just like how I was angry at Persia for being too selfless, now it happens to me.

    “I get that a lot, haha.”

    I deliberately laughed to try to lighten the mood...

    “...I’m serious.”

    …but Kuroyuki’s voice— like a pile of fresh snow dropping on the ground, felt so crystal clear.

    …She’s angry for my sake.

    “...Sorry.”

    “...What I want isn’t an apology.”

    She wants me to be a little more selfish to care about myself instead of others— just like how I told Persia.

    I could, but it isn’t my job to do so. That’s Nightwalker’s job to worry about himself and others.

    But there’s no way I’d throw that to her face. Because…

    “That’s just who I am, Kuroyuki. It’s too late to change what I’ve already decided.” I replied. “So why don’t you look after me in my stead? After all, I somehow knew I could completely trust you.”

    “......W... What are you talking about...” While murmuring that, Kuroyuki looks away with an embarrassed look.

    …What am I doing…?

    I’m supposed to let our distance grow. And yet, I…

    “Back to the topic, Kuroyuki.”

    I shook my head to clear my mind.

    “I’d like to have a discussion about the basement before getting the Black Sword,” I said.

    “…Here are the details.” She told me.

    “Thanks.”

    After receiving those details from Kuroyuki, I leave the plates to Kuroyuki while I sat down on my personal chair to read the contents.

    It was supposed to be in her report, but she failed— there’s no need for submission.

    Let’s see what do we have here.

    1. The floor map of the Black Sword’s whereabouts, basement.

    Located in the basement of the White Mansion, the only entrance to it is the stairway.

    For some reason, there are no pictures taken. Instead, the floor map is illustrated by Kuroyuki herself.

    It looks like an underground temple with eight circular stone pillars supporting the ceiling. The Black Sword was located at the opposite end of the entrance, stabbed on a platform.

    2. Traps.

    Heavy swinging axes, pitfalls and poison arrows.

    Most of them were destroyed.

    3. Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP).

    All electronic devices were disabled due to frequent discharge of EMP at 2 seconds intervals throughout the basement.

    4. Mana consumption and interference.

    Mana consumption is ten times higher in terms of the original spells. The spell will be cancelled immediately after a two-second cast.

    5. The gravity magic is cast on the platform with the Black Sword.

    It was ?ssumed to be 200 times heavier compared to normal gravity.

    …That’s all.