White Sword Saint.
Her name is Esta.
The 11th heroine.
Considering that I, Regif, am 7 years old, and this woman is 17, she would be 27 in the original timeline, a full-grown adult.
Yes.
An adult.
‘Adult heroines.’
Heroines 1 through 10 are all around 17 years old, so they could be considered “high school girls”.
Although the average age is around there, there are some who are significantly younger, but they all fall into the category of minors.
Yurha and Seia fall into this category.
So, what about the heroines from 11 through 16, including the White Sword Saint Esta?
‘They’re all adults.’
There are heroines who have just graduated from the Academy and turned 20, and there are others like Esta, who is in her late 20s.
Each of these women has a tragic past, but—
‘They’re virgins.’
Just like how the White Sword Saint is later called the “Virgin of Light”, these heroines remain untouched by men until their respective endings.
How could a woman with such looks and a stunning figure still be a virgin at 27?
Isn’t it only natural for men to approach her?
‘It means the adult group is that much harder to capture.’
It’s not that they have any significant flaws that have kept them from dating despite countless men trying to pursue them.
Of course, if you consider a tragic past that has made them close off their hearts as a flaw, then they might have one, but at least as women, they are not lacking in any way.
The only thing is that the protagonist in the original timeline is 17.
If the adult heroines were to date a 17-year-old male student, it would be considered a “game over”, both in-game and out of it.
So, while the endings of the student heroines usually jump ahead to show a future ten years later, the endings for the adult heroines skip right to when the protagonist turns 20 and becomes an adult.
Especially for the Sword Saint, who is in a hurry to marry the protagonist right after he graduates from the Academy.
But what if we compare this woman’s 17-year-old self, her current student appearance, to her future self?
‘There’s not much difference.’
Did she stop growing at 17?
Or did her body reach its peak at 15 when she became a Sword Master, the most suitable state for wielding the sword?
The 27-year-old Esta that I remember as a player and the 17-year-old Esta that I, as Regif, am now seeing aren’t very different.
In appearance, at least.
“What are you staring at?”
Esta speaks to me.
“Is there something on my face?”
Unlike the Esta of ten years in the future, who would boldly speak to the Count Habsderk’s young master without hesitation—
“Yes.”
“Oh, what’s on it?”
“Kindness?”
Despite her expressionless face that might seem cold at a glance, the warmth inside her is clearly showing right now.
“Oh my. This kid. Sister is not that kind. I’m a very fearsome swordswoman.”
Esta says this while patting my head and smiling.
It’s fortunate that Seia isn’t here. If she were, I might have had to put Esta under Seia’s hypnosis as well.
“I know. You’re an S-rank, after all. Similar to my parents, maybe even stronger.”
“Oh my. I’m just grateful you’d compare me to the Count and Countess.”
Such humility.
—Soldiers, are you slugs? Do you think you can become strong with just this? Give up. The weak have no place in the special class.
What happened to this woman over the next ten years to earn her the title of “Iron-Blooded Instructor”?
I know.
“Master Esta, are you thinking of taking on a disciple?”
“Hmmm… A disciple? Why, are you interested?”
“Yes.”
This woman.
She’s not meant to have disciples.
To be precise, the developers made it so that starting from the age of 20, she would take on disciples, only to see them die or get seriously injured far too often.
Overconfidence.
The disciples would progress rapidly thanks to the overwhelming swordsmanship they learned from the Sword Saint, but because they became strong too quickly, they made too many enemies or fell into basic traps that they otherwise might have avoided.
The Sword Saint who kills her own disciples.
The reason she later becomes an instructor at the Academy, the main stage of the story, is not just because she’s a great instructor, but because she’s genuinely talented at teaching.
“I know you came as a mercenary through the Silverstar Trading Company, but you were hired in case an S-rank monster or demon appears, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Have you ever thought about taking on a disciple?”
At my question, Esta gives a troubled smile.
“If the conditions are met, I might consider it, but there are a few issues.”
Esta subtly declines.
“First—”
“Not me.”
“Hm?”
Before Esta can entertain any other thoughts, I quickly correct her misunderstanding.
“My younger sister. Seia Habsderk. She might have talent with the sword.”
“…Hmm.”
“Because I don’t have any talent with the sword.”
“Young master…. Ah, you’re talking about the Habsderk family tradition.”
One reason why Esta hesitated.
My body, Regif, has no talent for martial arts.
“I heard from Miss Yurha that you’re learning magic. Are you planning to pursue the path of a mage?”
“I’ll continue physical training, but I plan to focus on magic as my main means of survival.”
“That’s a wise decision. I can spare some time to help with your training if you like.”
“I can arrange for that time through Yurha.”
The second reason why Esta hesitated.
Although she was nominally brought here to deal with any potential S-rank demons, the true purpose of her employment is, of course, Yurha.
“When Yurha comes to discuss matters with me, could you take a moment to look after my younger sister? That would be enough.”
“Well… alright. If Miss Yurha approves, and as long as it’s near her.”
Esta is Yurha’s bodyguard.
Although she’s a 17-year-old Sword Master, she doesn’t hold a noble title, as evidenced by her lack of a family name.
She’s a commoner adventurer, a kind of freelancer who moves around, and many countries and territories would certainly go to great lengths to hire Esta as their vassal knight.
And after teaching disciples wherever she goes, she’ll eventually hear stories about how her disciples went on adventures only to die or be crippled.
But not yet.
“Young master. Is that all you wanted to say? For something like that, the consultation fee seems a bit steep.”
Esta pushes the jewelry box I offered her back towards me.
I had purchased a bit of her time through Yurha, but the kind and gentle Esta refuses to accept the gemstones I’ve saved up.
“This is a payment for your services, Master Esta.”
“…It’s problematic to have multiple contracts.”
When I call her “Master”, Esta shakes her head seriously.
“I’m employed by Silverstar.”
“Please, just listen. It’s nothing major. If—”
I pulled out an old document I had prepared in advance.
“If, as this document suggests, there is a ‘Demon of Eternal Frost’ in the Habsderk family’s Demonic Land, and if that demon puts Habsderk on the brink of destruction—”
“I was hired to deal with that demon, wasn’t I?”
“But if even Master Esta has no choice but to retreat and abandon the territory in the worst-case scenario.”
Esta looked at the old document I unfolded with a serious expression.
“In the event that you must flee with Miss Yurha, if it’s possible, could you also take my younger sister with you?”
“…You.”
Esta stared intently at me.
“You ‘expect’ something to happen, don’t you?”
“Not exactly. It’s just insurance. No one who buys fire insurance expects their house to burn down, right? The goal is to prevent it.”
“…”
“It’s just in case. I ask this only until Miss Yurha leaves. You can consider it as payment for instructing Seia.”
“Then.”
Esta pointed at me.
“What about you, young master?”
“I’ll be fine.”
I will be fine.
“Even if something happens to me, please take care of my younger sister.”
“…”
“Really.”
Even if Regif dies, the world won’t end.
Even in death, there are other ways, but if a heroine candidate, someone who could potentially awaken as an Angel, or even two or three such candidates were to disappear, it would be a significant loss to this world.
“Young master, you… truly are a good brother.”
Esta ruffled my hair affectionately and smiled warmly.
“I worry a lot. I’m sure nothing major will happen. Absolutely sure.”
* * *
A week later.
Each time Yurha visits, Esta teaches Seia some basic martial arts. Despite being only 5 years old, Seia begins to show remarkable talent as her training progresses.
The joint investigation team, consisting of the Silverstar adventurer party and the Habsderk Count family, headed into the depths of the Demonic Land.
I had told them, “Just follow the ancient document’s instructions and don’t go all the way to the end.”
Before the team set out, I went to my parents to warn them about the contents of the document.
Their response was truly ridiculous.
They claimed that such a threat could never harm the descendants of Habsderk or put their children in danger.
For a moment, I was worried that they might have realized I wasn’t the real Regif, but rather an imposter possessing his body.
However, at least in front of me, they still regarded me as their child, and I told them this:
When they return, we will need to reconsider the traditions of Habsderk.
But if they just come back safely without stirring up any unnecessary trouble, I would call them father and mother again.
‘I shouldn’t have said that.’
Did my words seal their fate?
Or was it the inevitable destiny where “Silverstar brings ruin to Habsderk” manifesting in this way?
The Count, my father, is dead.
The Countess returned to the castle with a severe wound in her abdomen.
“What on earth happened…?”
“A dimensional gate!! The Silverstar hunters opened a ‘Demon World’ gate! In the deepest part of the cave!!”
The Demon World gate.
This means that the minor bosses of the second playthrough can cross over from the Demon World into reality through the dimensional gate.
My father was killed fighting those monsters, and my mother lost consciousness and collapsed.
“Master Regif!”
Yurha came running with a pale face.
“T-This is all my fault…!”
“No.”
I hugged the panicked Yurha tightly and patted her on the back.
“So, it’s happening just like in the ‘dream’.”
“A dream…?”
I pretended as if I had foreseen the future.
“Master Esta.”
I addressed Esta, who had arrived with Yurha.
She must have been fighting on the front lines, because demon blood was splattered all over her clothes.
“Please take care of Yurha and Seia.”
“…What are you planning to do?”
“You might think there’s nothing a 7-year-old can do.”
I couldn’t stop Silverstar from coming.
I couldn’t prevent the hunters from running rampant as they developed the Demonic Land.
I somehow found the related ancient document using my knowledge of the original story and issued a warning, but it was all in vain.
“But somehow, I have to do what I can.”
At the very least, I had prepared thoroughly for the worst-case scenario.
‘Regif Habsderk.’
My right hand.
‘I offer it. My soul.’
A contract with a demon.
By knowing the demon’s “true name”, it’s possible to summon that power into this world.
“…[Open].”
Between my clenched fists.
‘To the eternally burning blue flame.’
A very faint blue flame flickered like a tiny candle.
The method to defeat the S-rank boss.
‘Through a contract with an SS-rank demon.’
Even if that contract means—
[Hehehe.]
—this body will burn away.
[What is the price?]
The price.
“Everything.”
With magic power surging through my entire body, I dashed into the Demonic Land.
