The Great Sword is not the Main Body!-Chapter 123: Branch point (2)

Unlike earlier, Ser, having regained her composure, plopped down in her seat and lowered her head. She then summoned a small water spirit over her bleeding hand.

"Although I was the one who was excited just a moment ago, I believe Sirin will be fine. So, I think it’s best for us to do what we can do."

Ser's words were clear to us. But it seemed like the real target of her message wasn’t us, but herself.

"Once again, I apologize."

Ser bowed her head again, and the spirit in her hand was squeezed tightly—

"Wait a moment. I’ll handle it."

Seeing this, Rubia hastily grabbed Ser’s hand.

"There’s no need to bother. I can just—"

"No! I’ll do it! Can people please speak properly!!"

"Understood."

Seeing Rubia pour her divine power while grimacing, Ser unsummoned the spirit and chuckled.

"It seems like Rubia enjoys cute things."

"It’s not that I enjoy cute things, but I’m worried that you’re doing something crazy and that Hermila might be shocked."

"Is popping a spirit really something that would shock someone?"

"Are you crazy?"

Rubia glared at Ser with a contemptuous expression. After receiving her gaze, Ser stared at Rubia blankly for a moment before shaking her head.

"Hmm, it was close, but a little different. If you want to imitate me, try lowering your tone a bit. Also, lower the end of your sentences. Now, try it. 'Are you crazy?'"

"I’m not imitating, this is—"

"Pfft..."

Hermila, who had been watching Rubia and Ser’s exchange, shook her shoulders and covered her mouth.

"Hermila, Rubia’s actions are not something to be mocked. If one is a wise human, it’s only natural to want to resemble someone as excellent as me. So, Rubia, don’t be embarrassed by this. Ser here understands it all."

"Stop talking nonsense... Hah... No, it’s fine. I feel like I’m going crazy, so please stop asking me questions."

Having finished her healing, Rubia sighed and pulled me into an embrace.

"Hah... Noah shouldn’t learn things like that. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

"It’s okay to learn a little. If you become shameless, life becomes easier."

"That’s not shameless, that’s crazy."

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"Geniuses are always a bit mad. Well, from an ordinary person’s perspective, it’s mad, but in reality, it’s just extraordinary. Anyway, now that the atmosphere seems to have relaxed, let me ask again. Hermila, is everything you’ve said so far the truth?"

Hermila, sipping her now cold coffee, nodded.

"Yes. There are no lies."

"Although there are no lies, it sounds like there’s something you’re hiding. Please tell me everything. Aren’t you afraid of the wrath of the Master of the Magic Tower?"

Ser’s clenched fist rose visibly.

"Didn’t you dislike being called the Master of the Magic Tower?"

"I do."

"But you’re calling yourself the Master of the Magic Tower."

"Because from now on, I must be Ser, the Master of the Magic Tower, not just ordinary Ser."

"I’ve been feeling this since earlier... you’re really... odd. Anyway, there are no lies. And what you’re hiding are the events after Rubia was kidnapped, so I don’t think there’s any need to mention them."

"Hmm, is that so."

Ser slowly released her clenched fist and crossed her arms as she nodded.

At that moment...

An indescribable and intense killing intent covered the area.

"Hermila."

Then, the space around Ser distorted, shattered, and twisted.

"Do you see me as a joke?"

Sssssh- ssshhk-

A spirit in the form of a slender woman walked out.

"Oh... A high-tier spirit. I’ve never seen one in person before... Looks like you’re really angry."

At the same time, Hermila’s face lost all expression, and a violent aura began emanating from her body.

"I don’t want to kill you, who is a close friend of Sirin. So please speak truthfully."

"Sometimes, it’s better not to know."

The energy pouring out of Hermila’s body crazily compressed as she stood, immediately absorbed into her body.

"And sometimes, there are times when you have to pretend not to know?"

Hermila’s fist clenched.

"The arrogant and unique Master of the Magic Tower cannot become anyone’s puppet. Even if it were possible, only Sirin could do that."

Tens of thousands of spirits covered the sky.

"You’re being disrespectful."

Hermila’s form began to blur.

"I have earned that right."

The spirit in Hermila’s hand began to manifest, shaking the heavens and earth.

And...

The punch carrying the force of the reverse heaven was met with a warm sensation.

"H-Hermila!"

I glanced down at the squirming feeling above my fist.

There, on tiptoe, with her little palm tightly holding my fist, was Noah.

"U-um... I... uh... What was I going to say again?"

"...Noah?"

"Noah! What the...!"

"Noah! What are you doing?"

"Eek..."

Noah, who had been nervously holding my hand, suddenly shivered, probably because of the attention.

Still, she didn’t let go of my hand and shook her head violently while shouting.

"Wait, just a moment, Rubia...! H-Hermila and I... need to talk."

"What do you mean—"

"Please, believe me...!"

Just as Rubia, who was running toward us, stopped in her tracks, the spirits that had been covering the sky disappeared.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net [N O V E L I G H T] or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

However, the divine power still enveloped Noah, and the high-tier spirit, which reeked of intense bloodlust, was still reaching out toward me.

In this tense and suffocating atmosphere, why is Noah smiling like that?

"Noah? Could you please explain why you’re acting like this?"

"H-Hermila, we’re friends... right?"

"...Friends?"

"Yeah... friends. You said before, didn’t you? That you’d be my first friend..."

Noah, her voice trailing off, trembled and twisted her face.

"Did... did you lie about that?!"

"...Uh, no. It’s not... it’s not that..."

"It’s not a lie, right...?"

"...Yes."

"That’s right? Hehe... we’re friends."

At the single word "no," Noah started smiling again.

"Mm... since we’re friends... I’ll believe you."

She even took her hand off the greatsword’s hilt and placed it on my fist.

"Rubia said... that there shouldn’t be any secrets between friends."

As she pulled my hand downward with both hands...

"And... Hermila and I, we’re friends..."

She opened her eyes wide and looked up at me.

"So... what is it?"

At that moment, I was at a loss for words.

Her eyes, holding me, were so clear.

There was such deep trust in them, as though they reflected my filthy sins.

"Uh..."

"Hm... let me just say it. We... shouldn’t have secrets."

Finishing her words, Noah, listening intently to my reaction, became restless and spoke again.

"Then... um... I’ll tell you my secret first...?"

Noah, who had completely lowered my arm, covered her eyes and giggled.

"I... if I don’t hold my greatsword, I can’t see anything. Oh, wait... it’s not that I can’t see... um, I can’t sense anything."

And then, for a moment...

Noah tilted her head before hurriedly turning away.

"Hah... I was going to tell Ser...! Ser... since... we’re friends...! It’s not that I was hiding it. I... I just missed the timing. Really..."

Watching Noah stammer through her words, Ser let out a tired sigh and a chuckle, shaking her head.

"Heh, the great Master of the Magic Tower Ser can’t be friends with a foolish monkey like Noah."

"...Eh."

"But."

After a brief pause, Ser slowly unsummoned the high-tier spirit and walked toward Noah, smiling gently.

"Becoming friends with Ser, not as the Master of the Magic Tower, but as genius Ser... might be possible."

"Uh... is that so...? Then we’ll be friends—"

"Not yet, so don’t get ahead of yourself. Heh."

"Ugh..."

With a rough hand, Ser ruffled Noah’s hair and looked at me.

"Hermila."

"...Yes."

"You’re a bitch. Do you know that?"

"Ahaha... well, I admit it a little."

"Then, just take one hit. I’ll forgive you with this one."

Ser’s clenched fist rose again, just like before.

Clack— clack—

"If you want our cooperation, you’ll have to explain properly. Hermila."

Following that, Rubia, who had been walking, grit her teeth and pulled Noah into an embrace.

"Yes. I’ll tell you everything I’ve been hiding. But, before that."

Kneeling down, she met Noah’s gaze.

And she lifted Noah’s hand, placing it on the greatsword’s hilt.

"Eh..."

"Do you think of me as a friend, Noah?"

"Of course."

"Even though I tried to do bad things?"

"Mm... that doesn’t mean Hermila’s a bad person."

"...Why do you think that?"

"Well..."

Noah, who had stepped out of Rubia’s embrace, reached out and grabbed the blade of the greatsword.

"Noah?!"

And then...

Kaaang—!

The sharp greatsword, which seemed to be able to cut anything just by looking at it, didn’t cut Noah’s fingers. Instead, it bounced off the ground, repelled by the force of the reverse heaven.

"Like this... you tried to protect us even at the cost of shortening Hermila’s lifespan."