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Chapter 48 - Don’t Go

"…"

"…"

The path to the makeshift training ground was silent, desolate, and awkward.

Julia kept her mouth tightly shut, not saying a word the entire way.

Whenever I glanced back to check if she was following, she would quickly turn her head away, avoiding my gaze.

This is driving me crazy.

While it was a relief that she wasn’t upset anymore, her avoidance was still frustrating.

\'Does she still hate me?\'

But then, I remembered that she had almost taken my hand earlier.

Maybe she didn’t hate me as much as I thought.

Could that even be possible, given this face?

‘Perhaps the effects of my “Villain’s Fate” skill weren’t as absolute as I had once thought.’

Initially, I believed the skill’s effect was all-encompassing.

After all, everyone I met either scowled or trembled in fear.

Because of this, I resorted to disguising my acts of kindness under the guise of self-interest, assuming that others could only see me as a villain.

But recently, I began to feel like that perception was slowly fading for those who knew me well.

Maybe there was hope for avoiding that bloody future after all.

Just as I was lost in thought, a familiar face came running up to me.

"Mister! You’re here! But you and Julia look kind of awkward. Did something happen? Something did, right?"

"N-no, nothing happened!"

Charlotte’s sharp observation made Julia immediately deny everything.

But wait, if Charlotte was here, did that mean the performance test was already over?

A slight disappointment washed over me.

"Was the performance test successful?"

"Oh! We haven’t started yet!"

"What? Why not?"

"Because you hadn’t arrived yet, of course!"

"…?"

Charlotte tilted her head, as if asking why I would even question such an obvious thing.

I’m the one who’s confused here.

"Didn’t Sylvia tell you I’d be late?"

"She did. But she didn’t say you wouldn’t come at all. So, of course, we waited! I really wanted you to see it."

"What about the audience? I heard a lot of people gathered to watch the performance test."

"They all left!"

"…"

Of course they did.

Who wouldn’t leave after being made to wait for over two hours?

It was exasperating, but Charlotte remained blissfully unaware.

Her face was slightly flushed.

"Now we can do it just among ourselves without any interruptions!"

"…"

[The Evil God, ‘Kali,’ nods approvingly at our Dark Knight’s words.]

Since I had no complaints, I decided not to press the issue.

Entering the makeshift training ground with Charlotte and Julia, I saw that it was just a simple setup—no roof, just a fence separating the interior from the exterior.

It was rudimentary but perfect for testing the Super Strong Sword.

"How will the performance test proceed?"

"I’ll surround the Super Strong Sword with small flame…"

She means Sword Aura.

"And we’ll measure the mana consumption and destructive power. Then we’ll gradually increase the size of the small flame…"

Again, she means Sword Aura.

"And keep repeating until we’ve tested the mana efficiency at different sizes!"

"Interesting."

I had expected something more slapdash, but this was a surprisingly scientific and practical approach.

Mana efficiency was indeed crucial—like fuel efficiency in a car.

"Okay! Let’s start!"

Charlotte drew the Super Strong Sword, and with a low hum, a violet light flickered along the blade.

The Sword Aura—a testament to her mastery of the sword—burned brightly in her hand.

With a determined look, she raised the sword and aimed it at the empty field.

And then…

"Boom! Boom!"

...She slashed down with a silly chant, and the Sword Aura sliced through the air.

At first, it seemed small enough to only cut through the small boulder ahead. But then…

"Huh?"

"…What?"

The Sword Aura, which had started small, rapidly expanded, growing to an enormous size as it surged towards the sky.

Charlotte, startled by the unexpected growth, froze in place.

I quickly shouted.

"Strike it down, Charlotte! It’ll keep growing until you release it!"

"Y-yes! Boom! Boom!!!"

Finally moving, Charlotte brought the sword down, and the gigantic violet flash lit up the sky.

Then, with a resounding crash, it struck the ground, sending a tremendous shockwave through the earth.

"Cough, cough!"

As the dust settled, what appeared before me was Charlotte lying flat on the ground, and the earth in front of her split open like a canyon.

"I didn’t mean for it to be that big…"

"Charlotte."

"I-I’m serious! I was able to keep the small flame small before!"

"I know. It was probably the chant."

"The chant?"

"Or rather, the name of the technique. When you gave it a name, ‘Boom Boom,’ it became more than just words. It became a technique with its own characteristics and power. That’s why the same output as before was automatically released."

"So that’s what happened…"

Whether it’s a magic spell or a sword technique name, it’s all the same concept.

It’s ingrained deeply in one’s subconscious, repeating the same routine.

For ‘Boom Boom,’ it likely became a technique that drew on all of Charlotte’s remaining mana to unleash the Sword Aura.

The result was a mana-exhausted Charlotte lying flat on the ground but still grinning.

"I almost said ‘Boom Boom’ by mistake before… That would have been a disaster…"

"Now that you understand… be more careful."

My heart raced at the thought.

That technique could split mountains and turn fields into canyons—imagine if she had used it near the mansion.

Thankfully, I discovered this before any accidents occurred.

I couldn’t bring myself to scold her, only let out a sigh of relief.

‘She’s already managing the power of incantations? She’s growing much faster than I expected.’

The ability to imbue words with power—Julia uses it as a form of verbal command, while Charlotte uses it as an incantation.

They wield it so casually, yet it’s something only skilled mages or swordsmen can achieve.

Even considering that I helped them awaken their abilities, their growth rate was astonishing.

"I’ll be careful… But I can’t move… Could you help me up?"

"Your voice sounds so weak, as if you’ve exhausted all your life force and are about to die."

"Ugh! Please don’t talk about that…"

Charlotte blushed in embarrassment, clearly recalling how she had acted like she was on the brink of death before.

Her pitiful expression from that time was still vivid in my mind, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Smiling, I lifted her up into my arms, and that’s when I noticed her abnormal body temperature.

"Charlotte. Your body is burning up."

"Heh. I know… I exerted myself a lot, so it’s only natural…"

"No, I mean your temperature is abnormally high."

[The Evil God, ‘Kali,’ is seriously urging you to check our Dark Knight’s condition.]

I touched Charlotte’s forehead and noticed how quickly her temperature had risen.

Cold sweat dotted her skin.

Damn it. She’s actually sick.

[The Evil God, ‘Kali,’ is panicking, saying our Dark Knight is about to die!]

"Sylvia, call a doctor. Quickly!"

"Yes!"

Panic set in immediately.

"It’s just a light cold. She should recover quickly with plenty of fluids and rest."

"Don’t give me that nonsense. Does this child look like someone who would catch a cold? In this heat? If you don’t want to make an enemy of me, I suggest you examine her more thoroughly."

"It’s really just a cold… Please believe me, Count…"

When I glared at him, the doctor, trembling, rechecked Charlotte’s temperature.

Sometimes, the Villain’s Fate skill comes in handy.

After a long while of reexamining (or at least pretending to), the doctor finally bowed his head and stammered.

"It really… really is just a cold… I swear!"

"Hmm."

"Why would I lie to you… Count…? If I’m wrong.. I’ll gladly forfeit my life…!"

"Hmm."

"I-I’ll even offer my wife and children’s lives as well…!"

"Fine. You may go."

"Th-thank you!"

I tossed him a 100,000 lark coin and sent him on his way.

Just a cold? It’s still hard to believe.

In the middle of summer, Charlotte, who had always been so healthy?

"He’s a highly reputable and skilled doctor. I think we can trust his diagnosis."

"…"

It did seem like a cold.

Her fever wasn’t severe, and it wasn’t anything serious.

She would probably recover after a good night’s sleep, but…

[The Evil God, ‘Kali,’ is strongly insisting that you stay up all night to watch over our Dark Knight!]

Just to be safe, I decided to keep an eye on her.

Nodding to Kali’s demand, I dragged a chair to Charlotte’s bedside.

"Hu, huu…"

"Is she dreaming?"

Charlotte had already fallen asleep, but she was whimpering and tossing in her sleep.

Could she be having a nightmare?

I touched her forehead again and, feeling reassured by the slight decrease in temperature, gently stroked her hair.

Her fever hadn’t worsened.

In fact, it seemed to have gone down a bit.

At that moment, Julia peeked her head through the door.

"Is Charlotte… okay?"

"Just a mild cold. She’ll be fine. Has she ever been this sick before?"

"Mm, no. Only rarely from overexertion, maybe. But never this sick…"

"…"

That ruled out the possibility of an underlying condition.

Thank goodness.

I was startled when this usually healthy child suddenly fell ill.

"Why don’t you head to bed? Do you need me to hold your hand to fall asleep?"

"No need. I think I can sleep fine without it. Just take care of Charlotte for me."

With a cool demeanor, Julia turned and left.

Can she really sleep fine?

I wasn’t entirely convinced, but right now, Charlotte needed my attention.

‘What could have caused this? Did one of the staff catch a cold and pass it to her? I’ll have to identify them and make sure they stay home.’

[The Evil God, ‘Kali,’ is cheering your wise decision.]

Of course, they’ll get paid leave.

‘I might as well grab a book to read while I watch over her.’

I was about to quietly push back my chair and stand up when…

"D-don’t go… Mom…"

"…"

Charlotte’s tiny fingers clutched my sleeve.

Her hand was rough and calloused from wielding the sword so much.

Even in her sleep, she desperately clung to my sleeve, not letting go.

I sighed and sat back down.

"I’m not going anywhere, so just sleep tight."

"Sniff…"

Charlotte, usually so bright and cheerful, was also an orphan who had experienced the pain of losing her parents.

Wiping away a tear that had trickled down her cheek, I gently held her hand.

Finally, her sobbing ceased.

The grip on my sleeve loosened, and her body relaxed.

"Ha. You two really know how to be a handful."

What could I say?

It was the kind of trouble I didn’t really mind.

It looked like tonight was going to be a long one.