Chapter 12.2: Sorrow and Contradiction Part 2
"Alright, let's see what you've got..."
-Screeeech!!!
The moment my fingertips touched the hilt, the dark blue blade let out a strange shriek.
The deafening sound made me instinctively frown.
"...That startled me."
It's quite fierce.
Just touching it once caused such a reaction.
I knew that relics chose their owners, but did it dislike me that much?
"...Well, there's nothing you can do about it. Just bear with it for a bit. I'll release you after using you for about three years."
I reached out again, this time firmly grasping the hilt.
I expected it to resist, trying to wrest control from me,
but contrary to my expectations, the relic yielded easily, entrusting its body to me.
-Ding!
[You have obtained the relic of the Goddess of Sorrow, 'Lament.']
Lament.
The name itself sounded quite ominous.
I took a stance with the sword in hand and lightly swung it through the air.
It was a double-edged sword, typical of a medieval setting.
As someone accustomed to kendo, the grip and reach felt slightly awkward.
As if reading my thoughts, the status window displayed another notification.
-Ding!
[Lament will transform into a form familiar to the user.]
As soon as the message appeared, the sword began to wriggle and change its shape.
The double-edged blade tilted to one side,
and the long crossguard shortened to a more manageable length.
The pommel, hilt, and even the scabbard transformed to match the new form, and the wriggling finally stopped.
The double-edged Lament had become a single-edged sword.
"Oh..."
I examined it with curiosity.
The cold sensation in my hand, the perfect fit of the grip,
the appropriately sized crossguard and pommel,
and the sharp, gleaming blade.
Was it because this was the first sword I had held since possessing this body?
It felt like returning home.
To a home I never wanted to return to.
...Well, it can't be helped.
I have to do what I have to do, even if I don't like it.
"By the way,"
Is there no way to turn off the glowing effect of the blade?
It's too bright; it hurts my eyes.
I frowned and sheathed the sword.
As I did so, the blue aurora that had been swirling around me vanished instantly.
Not only that, but the oppressive aura emanating from the sword also disappeared without a trace.
"So it becomes quiet when sheathed."
That's a pretty useful feature.
The weapons left behind by the Three Goddesses of Emotion were considered top-tier relics.
It would be better to keep the fact that I possess this sword a secret.
That way, I could avoid the dangers posed by relic hunters and demons.
"Status window."
Now that that's settled,
it's time to check its actual stats.
"Show me information about Lament."
Just by looking at it, it seemed like a good weapon, comparable to Allen's 'Dawn.'
There weren't many weapons in the original story that emitted such dazzling effects.
So what about its actual stats?
-Ding!
[Lament]
Category: Sword
Rank: Contradiction
Special Attribute: Lotia's Blessing
Special Skill: -View Details-
"As expected, it's Contradiction rank."
Contradiction.
As the name suggests, it signified a paradox.
The original weapon ranks consisted of six tiers: Common, Rare, Heroic, Legendary, Mythic, and Divine.
However, there were occasional weapons that transcended these ranks.
They were given the name 'Contradiction,' a rank that shouldn't exist.
Prime examples included the swords bestowed by the Three Goddesses of Emotion,
and the divine sword 'Bloom,' which had disappeared along with the first hero, Ash Reynolds, a thousand years ago.
"Well... being an irregular weapon, the conditions for using it are quite demanding."
I probably wouldn't be able to utilize even 3% of Lament's power in my current state.
But that's okay.
The true value of a Contradiction-rank weapon lay in its powerful special skill.
"Please... let it be a useful skill..."
Special Skill.
Weapons of Mythic rank or higher possessed a unique skill called a 'Special Skill.'
Allen's 'Dawn' had a skill called 'Daybreak.'
It was a skill that summoned massive pillars of light from the sky,
annihilating all demons that came into contact with the light without any restrictions.
Of course, being such an overpowered ability, it had the critical drawback of a one-year cooldown.
But the point was that special skills always boasted incredible power.
With a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, I clicked the 'View Details' button next to Special Skill.
-Ding!
The status window appeared.
And...
"..."
After checking the special skill, I couldn't help but freeze.
.
.
.
"Young Master! Wake up! You have to go to class!"
"Rachel... Five more minutes..."
"No! You'll be late if you don't get up now!"
I woke up to Rachel's powerful shout.
I quickly gobbled down the breakfast on the table and started getting dressed in my uniform.
Shirt, vest, jacket, all in order.
Now, to tie the neck tie...
"Hmm."
This wasn't easy.
I'd need to have tied a necktie in my previous life to know how to do it now.
All I did was train back then; I never once wore a suit.
As I struggled with the necktie for a while,
Rachel, who had been watching from the side, giggled and approached me.
"That's not how you tie it. Give it here. I'll do it for you."
She took the necktie from my hand and began to tie it with deft fingers.
"You're really good at this."
"Hehe, I'm your personal maid. This much is basic."
Her neatly tied twin tails swayed as she covered her mouth and laughed.
She finished tying the knot and patted my shoulder.
"There, all done!"
"Ooh..."
The necktie was perfectly tied.
It was a world of difference from the clumsy knot I had been trying to make.
Seeing my impressed reaction, Rachel puffed out her chest with a proud expression.
"I'm quite skilled, you know."
"It seems so."
"Do you want me to teach you? How to tie a necktie properly."
I thought for a moment and shook my head.
"No, it's okay."
"Eh? Why not?"
"Just... you do it every day."
Tying this thing is a hassle.
It's easier to just let someone else do it.
Rachel flinched at my words.
"Y-You want me to tie it...?"
"Yes."
"E-Every day...?"
"Yes, every day."
"Ugh..."
Her face flushed bright red, and she lowered her head.
Wow, she's like a tomato.
She fidgeted with her fingers, muttering as if she were uncomfortable.
"I-If you're okay with it, Young Master..."
"I'm perfectly fine with it."
It means I don't have to tie this damn necktie myself.
Rachel covered her blushing face with both hands and mumbled.
"I-I'll do my best... to tie your necktie."
"Okay, I'm counting on you."
With a short reply, I got up from my seat.
As I stood by the entrance, adjusting my crossbody bag, Rachel trotted after me.
She was watching me with a satisfied look as I slung the bag over my shoulder.
Uncomfortable with her intense gaze, I tilted my head and asked,
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing~ I'm just happy to see you like this, Young Master~"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
We exchanged small smiles as we looked at each other.
"Well, I'm off."
"Yes! Have a great day, Young Master!!"
I left the dormitory with Rachel's cheers.
The blue sky and warm sunshine made for a fantastic day.
As I walked under the sun, I thought to myself.
Come to think of it... wasn't today's class 'Practical Combat'?
I think it was held in the training grounds.
I double-checked the textbooks I had brought and continued walking.