Eve explained that Scarlet had been seriously injured while fighting a monster to save people, but they had no choice but to conceal it to prevent chaos.

The kids understood, but it was a hard pill to swallow, and they began to raise their voices in outrage.

The classroom got noisy, but Yoon Si-woo was so lost in his thoughts that he couldn’t hear anything.

She was seriously injured.

If she was hospitalized, just how badly had she been hurt?

Suddenly, an image of her bleeding from her hand due to his attack popped into his mind.

In Yoon Si-woo’s imagination, she was now drenched in blood from head to toe.

Imagining her lying in a hospital bed made his stomach churn, and he bit down hard on his lip.

“Seriously injured… Will she… be okay? She’ll be fine, right?”

He caught the anxious murmur of Sylvia, who had a pale face beside him. It seemed that she, who had recently been close to Scarlet, also had no idea how she was doing. Yoon Si-woo scanned those who had stayed at school yesterday.

Among the panicking faces, he noticed a few students with stiff expressions.

They probably knew just how injured she had been.

After the morning assembly, Yoon Si-woo approached the person who seemed to know her best.

Mei, who always appeared confident and was serving as the temporary class president, was giving off an unusually gloomy vibe.

“…Do you think Scarlet will be okay?”

At his question, Mei slowly turned her head to look at Yoon Si-woo.

Her eyes, face, and expression all clearly said that things were not okay, yet she confirmed it with her words.

“…I don’t know.”

The phrase “I don’t know” was hardly used with positive connotations.

“…She might even have to drop out of the academy…”

The truth.

Though she added “might,” it meant her injuries were severe enough to consider quitting the academy.

Yoon Si-woo’s eyes shook like a boat caught in a violent storm.

*

As the school day was ending, the topic of Scarlet’s hospital visit stirred up quite a racket.

Noticing the atmosphere, Eve addressed the students during homeroom.

“Miss Evande is in critical condition, so she needs to rest for a while. I understand you want to visit her, but too many visitors could negatively impact her health, so I think it’s best to send a few people at a time. For today, our representative will be the temporary class president, Mei.”

“…Understood.”

Mei replied in a small voice.

Yoon Si-woo also felt a strong desire to visit Scarlet.

However, at the same time, he was fearful of confirming her condition with his own eyes.

If she was crying, how sad would he become upon seeing that? This thought terrified him.

Returning home, he lay on his bed but couldn’t fall asleep.

Just yesterday, he had wished to see her smile, yet within a day, he had to think the complete opposite, and that made him incredibly gloomy.

He didn’t want to see her cry anymore.

*

The next day, as soon as Yoon Si-woo arrived at school, he saw kids crowding around Mei.

They were surely discussing the visit from yesterday, so he eavesdropped on their conversation.

“So, how did it look? Is she okay?”

In response to someone’s question, Mei replied with a faint smile.

“Yeah, she’s in much better shape than I expected. She didn’t look too down, so I think she’ll be alright.”

That was the truth.

Yoon Si-woo felt his previously sinking spirits rising as if by magic.

[Just a moment ago, you looked like you were on the brink of death… So Si-woo, how about switching to a career as a clown?]

Yoon Si-woo gave a bitter smile at Lucy’s comment.

Even he felt ridiculous for oscillating between happiness and despair every time news about Scarlet came up.

As the news of her improved condition spread, a heated debate ensued about who would go visit her next.

“Should we send three people?”

“Three is too few! Let’s make it four!”

“I feel like if five go, one of them is bound to be a weirdo, so four sounds better.”

Thus, it was decided that four would go.

Besides Mei, three people who had fought alongside her on the day she got hurt naturally filled the slots quickly, and there was a suggestion that Sylvia, who was usually close to Scarlet, should take the remaining spot.

“I’m really busy and won’t be able to make time. I wish I could just ditch everything and go, but… please tell Scarlet I’m really sorry for not being able to visit…”

With the most promising candidate, Sylvia, dropping out for unavoidable reasons, a vacancy was left for the last spot.

Since there wasn’t anyone else who had a sufficient claim, it was decided to choose the last participant through a fair game of rock-paper-scissors.

However, the moment Yoon Si-woo decided to go, rock-paper-scissors was no longer a fair game.

“I’m going to pick rock.”

“Oh really? No matter how much weaker I am than you, I’m not planning to lose at rock-paper-scissors, so I’m going to throw paper!”

It was the truth, and Yoon Si-woo threw scissors.

“You cowardly little sneak!!!!”

With someone’s scream echoing, the last spot became Yoon Si-woo’s.

[How sneaky.]

Shut it, Lucy.

*

After arriving at the hospital, Yoon Si-woo told the three who came with him to go ahead and talk first.

“Are you sure it’s okay if we don’t go in with you?”

“We really don’t mind…”

They said it didn’t bother them, but he knew that Scarlet would be uncomfortable facing him, and thus, they wouldn’t be able to have a proper conversation.

“I’m not close enough to Scarlet for a lengthy chat. I’m just planning to convey my greetings later. Don’t mind me and go join the conversation.”

When Yoon Si-woo said this, they shrugged their shoulders and headed inside the hospital.

He wished he could approach her as freely as they did.

That was his only small disappointment.

Yoon Si-woo walked slowly around the hospital.

As he engaged in chats with others, he imagined what expression she would have.

Would she be expressionless as usual, or would she smile at least a little?

As he walked absentmindedly, he noticed the sun gradually setting.

After a while, he entered the hospital and stood in front of her room.

The room was well soundproofed, yet he could faintly hear the sounds of voices and laughter from inside.

He hoped that her laughter would be among them, as he wished for her to be happy as much as he liked her.

Leaning against the wall near the room, he waited for the conversation to end.

Within moments, he saw several people exiting the room with far more radiant expressions than when they had entered.

Yoon Si-woo approached them and asked.

“How does she seem?”

A girl from the group responded with a gentle smile.

“She didn’t seem too bad at all. She even smiled a bit.”

With that answer, Yoon Si-woo smiled back.

“That’s a relief to hear.”

That alone justified his waiting.

*

Opening the door, he was greeted by Scarlet, whose face looked slightly brighter than usual.

And Yoon Si-woo finally realized where she had been hurt.

The left sleeve of her hospital gown was completely empty.

That was the arm he had accidentally injured, causing her to bleed.

It didn’t seem life-threatening, but it was certainly no light injury.

It felt like his heart was being ripped apart, but he managed to endure it.

Even though she had lost her left arm, her demeanor didn’t reflect depression, which gave him the strength to hold on too.

When their eyes met, her previously bright expression dimmed slightly, as if it had never existed.

Feeling spurned by her disdain, he forced a bitter smile.

“…Why are you here?”

“Of course, I’m here to visit you.”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

As soon as he entered the room, she coldly remarked, and Yoon Si-woo instinctively replied.

He knew she was asking why he came despite telling him not to worry, but he brushed off her words as if he hadn’t heard them, telling himself internally that this was an exception.

The sadness that dulled his heartbeat created a strangely calm resolve.

“How’s your body holding up?”

“…Aside from my arm, I’m fine. Once I get a prosthesis, I’ll probably be okay. If you’re done, could you leave?”

Still, he sensed her kindness in the way she promptly answered his questions.

Now that he’d confirmed she was relatively okay, he intended to leave, but Yoon Si-woo decided to press his luck just a bit longer.

“Before I go, I have one last thing to ask. Will you continue attending the academy?”

“Yeah, I will. Since you asked, you can leave now.”

Her answer as to whether she would continue attending the academy carried multiple meanings.

Losing a limb, when one’s body is a weapon as a hero, undeniably results in a loss of combat ability.

Many heroes who have lost limbs return to duty with prosthetics, but most fail to adapt to the gap between their original body and their new one and often die.

Thus, this question was also about her resolve to continue aiming to be a hero, even if it could risk her life.

Regardless, she stated she would carry on.

Curious about her reason, he inquired again.

“Why?”

“You said you’d only ask one thing…”

In response to his follow-up question, she hesitated but answered without faltering.

“Because I want to save people.”

An answer that was idealistic and heroic, just like in the stories.

“Thank you for answering. Well then, I’m going to head out.”

After bidding her farewell, he exited the room.

As he left, Yoon Si-woo pondered.

Honest, kind, and selfless.

For those reasons, he realized it was only natural that he liked her.

Therefore,

“Lucy.”

[What is it, Si-woo?]

“I want to become stronger.”

The boy declared.

[Aren’t you already strong enough?]

“That isn’t enough.”

[Then how strong do you want to be?]

She knew full well that she would continue to lend her body to save people.

And he didn’t want her to get hurt.

So,

“Strong enough to protect everyone.”

He would take over her role.

At the boy’s words, the Sword of Humility burst into laughter.

[Ahahaha, that’s quite an arrogant answer.]

Yet, even while laughing, she was genuinely pleased with that statement.

[But really, really liked that answer.]

After all, the holy sword exists to serve its wielder.

[Then, let’s make a pact. I will help you awaken the true potential of the Holy Swords.]

The sword’s hilt glowed, and a white light enveloped his body.

This pure white light stained the boy’s right eye in the same color as the light.

[I will grant your wishes, but you must also fulfill one of my desires in return.]

A contract is never one-sided, so the boy had to pay a price.

“What do you want?”

The price of the previous contract was that he would grant one desire in the future. And now, the price of this contract was spoken by the Sword of Humility, Lucy.

[I refuse to see my contractor lose to anyone.]

[So become stronger than anyone else.]

At that, the boy gripped the sword’s hilt firmly and made a vow.

To protect one girl,

He would protect them all.

“I accept.”