“No! My holy sword!!! How could it have turned into a cursed sword in the hands of that devilish little girl! Oh no! Oh no! Uwaaaaah!!!”

“Spirit grandfather... It’s disappearing...”

Supported by Aslan, Yulia gradually lifted her gaze. The spirit of the legendary Zain, released from Jacob's body, was enveloped in light as it ascended to the sky. Is that what it means to ascend? From the loud cries, it seemed like there were still many regrets left...

“It’s all over now. Good job. We’ll take this holy sword as your grandfather said. You have no objections, do you?”

“Yes, yes! Of course not. But the sword seems to have turned black. Is that okay...?”

“Hmm. It’s fine.”

In Charlotte’s hand was the seventh holy sword of the legendary blacksmith Zain. The name was...

“Awesome Awesome Sword!”

“...”

Was that what it was called? The once shimmering holy sword turned black as soon as it touched Charlotte’s hand. Upon closer inspection, it didn’t seem like just the surface was coated; it appeared that the very material had changed color. Aslan felt a throbbing pain in his head.

‘This is starting to feel like a real cursed sword.’

Did the holy sword turn black just because it came into Charlotte’s hands? It was an utterly incomprehensible phenomenon. Charlotte wasn’t some embodiment of evil.

Aslan repeatedly asked himself, ‘Why?’ Then he quickly arrived at an answer.

‘Could it be because of me again?’

Yulia’s talent as a spirit mage had been influenced by him, turning into the talent of a necromancer. So it wouldn’t be surprising if Charlotte’s talent changed too, right?

‘No. That’s strange. It’s clearly strange.’

Strange or not, if we summarize the facts, it was clear that the seventh holy sword of the legendary Zain underwent some kind of transformation when it came into contact with Charlotte. When it touched Jacob or Sylvia, there had been no changes at all.

This could only mean one thing.

‘Charlotte’s aptitude as a magic knight reacted with the holy sword.’

There was no other way to look at it. Charlotte was a magic knight. A magic knight who turned the holy sword black... Does that mean she would become a dark knight? Aslan felt a little confused about whether he should be pleased or concerned.

“The appearance of the Awesome Awesome Sword has changed!”

“...Have you already decided on that name?”

“Yes! It feels so perfectly fitting in my hand! Out of all the swords I’ve seen so far, this is my favorite!!!”

Charlotte’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she beamed. Her expression seemed to plead, “Please let me keep it.” While she had shown excitement when trying out other swords in the forge, this was on another level. It seemed like everything else had vanished from her mind.

Moreover, how could she not keep a sword that responded to her talent, a one-of-a-kind sword in her lifetime? Though this sword already felt like it belonged to Charlotte, Aslan stiffened his expression and tried to look stern.

“Charlotte. You’ve just seen it, so you know this sword isn’t ordinary, and neither is your ability. Do you understand?”

“I understand! Probably? Sort of?”

“Surely Sylvia has told you repeatedly, but a sword is a tool that can harm people. Even if you dress up swordsmanship as an art or a sport, the fundamental purpose remains to injure or kill. You are walking a perilous path.”

“...”

“Understand how dangerous the power you possess is and hold a powerful weapon in your hands. Take responsibility that matches that power. If you vow to do so, I will grant you this sword.”

The look in Charlotte’s eyes, which had seemed indifferent, began to sparkle with enthusiasm and excitement. Sylvia cleared her throat, glancing away. She had only taught her how to slash, stab, and break; she had never imparted such profound teachings about swordsmanship...

“I will! I vow! I will take responsibility! The Awesome Awesome Sword is awesome, so I’ll handle it carefully so that no one gets hurt!”

“Your own safety is important as well. Swear again.”

“Yes! I will be careful not to get hurt either!”

“Good. It’s settled. You may take it.”

“Lord Soga, is it really okay to give a cursed sword—no, a holy sword—to a child?”

“It can’t be helped. That sword was Charlotte’s from the moment she was born. The timing is just a matter of late or early; ultimately, it was bound to become hers. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to let her get accustomed to it from a young age?”

Sylvia nodded in understanding. No matter how strong the power, it was worthless if it couldn’t be controlled. Since she had awakened her abilities early, Charlotte needed to learn how to handle that power to ensure her safety in the future.

Ah? Wait a minute. Who would teach her how to handle that power? As she pondered this, Sylvia suddenly felt a sense of dread. It seemed her workload was about to increase.

“Don’t tell me you want me to train her to be a magic knight...!”

“Shh. Be quiet. There’s no way a magic knight would emerge from Vermont.”

“...!”

With a sly smile, Aslan quickly covered Sylvia’s mouth. A magic knight inherently belonged to the state, a property of the royal family. Once a noble or commoner was revealed to be a magic knight, they immediately became property of the royal family. That was the law of the empire.

“I was reckless...”

Should I really give Charlotte away to the royal family for free? That couldn’t happen. I couldn’t give up on the endless possibilities of a magic knight.

Moreover, the holy sword had already turned black; hadn’t it transformed into a cursed sword? Where in the world would there be a magic knight wielding a cursed sword? It seemed unlikely that the existence of a magic knight would be discovered by the royal family anytime soon.

Even if they did find out, would the royal family really want to take in a magic knight wielding such a sinister-looking sword? Given that Charlotte was a slave of the notorious Vermont family, the royal family would have considerable hesitation in taking her in. For the first time, Aslan felt grateful for the Vermont family's notorious reputation.

“Did grandfather truly ascend...?”

As Jacob slowly regained consciousness and looked around, he distinctly felt the spirit of Zain, which had been residing in his body, depart.

Yulia answered.

“He has completely ascended. Quite cleanly.”

“I see... I thought I was all alone until now. With my father and grandfather gone, I believed there was no one left. But grandfather must have been watching over me all along.”

“...”

To refer to a man he had never known, who had died when he was just a baby, as grandfather felt somewhat foreign to Jacob. However, the moment Zain’s spirit penetrated Jacob’s body, he felt an inexplicable warmth and a gentle glow in his heart.

Rough speech and an indifferent personality. On the surface, the legendary Zain seemed far removed from love. Yet, in that moment, Jacob realized the essence of his grandfather's lingering feelings.

“I believe the lingering feelings left to my grandfather were probably about me. Seeing me unable to lead a proper life and merely drowning in alcohol must have worried him, preventing him from ascending. Now I understand. Thanks to all of you, especially the little lady, I’ve realized the bloodline and abilities I possess. I sincerely thank you.”

Jacob bowed politely. He had wandered aimlessly for so long. But having encountered his benefactor and faced his grandfather's spirit, he had learned the mana cultivation techniques and mana power.

If he still couldn’t do his part now, he wouldn’t be human. Jacob chuckled softly, looking at his hands, which had numerous wounds from hammering—a task he was not yet accustomed to. This was the state of hands that would soon become routine.

“I’ve received an enormous grace. I want to repay you in any way I can, Lord Soga.”

“Oh? You want to repay me that badly? In any way? You said it yourself, didn’t you? Did you hear that, Sylvia?”

“Yes, I heard it clearly.”

“Huh...?”

“Here, take this. Oh, but this isn’t for just anyone.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a contract for exclusive service. From now on, you will work for the Vermont family for life. How does that sound? Exciting, isn’t it?”

“...!”

An exclusive service contract...? As Jacob raised his head and met Sylvia’s gaze, his hands and feet began to tremble. Sylvia, once a promising candidate for a hero, had been trapped in her obligations to the Vermont family. Though her lips were faintly smiling as she handed over the pen, her eyes lacked vitality.

“W-Well, no matter how you look at it, me, of all people, making an exclusive contract with the Vermont family seems a bit...”

“Haah. After saving a guy who was about to drown in a vat of alcohol, you repay me like this? I awaken one of the few mana powers in the empire for you, and you plan to ignore my gratitude? Hah, is this really the answer you’re giving me? It seems you’re even getting ready to ask for the holy sword back from your grandfather.”

“Of course not! That’s not it!”

“I understand your intentions well. Now that I know how you think of the Vermont family, it’s time to hear the family’s response...”

“I’ll do it! An exclusive contract! I’ll work hard for the gracious Vermont family for the rest of my life!!!”

“Ahahaha.”

Yes, it should have been this way from the start. As Jacob hurriedly signed the contract as if he were being chased, Aslan smiled with satisfaction.

A blacksmith capable of wielding mana power. Moreover, he was a direct descendant of the legendary Zain. It would be a tremendous loss to let such a person slip away after treating him carelessly.

‘Five-day work week, with seven working hours per day. Paid vacations limited to twelve days a year. As annual leave accumulates, the vacation and benefits structure will continue to increase.’

There was no way he could repeat the mistakes of the dwarf king. If he treated him well enough to overshadow offers from elsewhere, Jacob would likely work hard to bury himself in the Vermont family. Aslan let out a satisfied chuckle. Carly, though unaware of the situation, laughed along with him.