I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

"…Didn’t they call that thing the 'Great Mother of the Sea'?"

Dean Sior’s voice rang out in disbelief from within his office.
He was, of course, referring to the little Blackie currently sprawled across Carlyle’s lap, flailing her limbs and playing around.
Carlyle had come to ask if it was okay to keep her inside the academy now that she looked like this.

"Anyone would think you two are father and daughter."
"She only looks like this now. You’ve seen her true form yourself, Dean—she’s the giant-class magical beast. You know that."
"I do know that, but… that such a beast, said to have given birth to countless offspring, would look like that—well..."

The way the dean looked at Carlyle was anything but trusting.
…No, it went beyond mere mistrust. It was the look one gave a ticking time bomb they were sure would blow up soon.
"I didn’t choose this form, you know."

"…Let’s go with that."
"It’s not about ‘going with that’—I really didn’t—ah, fuck."
The absurd accusation gave him a headache.
As Carlyle muttered a curse under his breath, Blackie paused her movements and stared intently up at him from his lap.

She likely didn’t understand the meaning of the words, but she definitely picked up on the negative tone.
"It’s fine, it’s fine. Nothing to worry about."
Carlyle smiled as he reassured her, and Blackie lit up with a wide grin, hugging his waist tightly with both arms.

She then rubbed her cheek against his chest with all her might, cat-like in affection. Watching her, Sior chuckled softly.
"Her intelligence is clearly much higher than her appearance suggests. Though her behavior’s pure child."
That much was certainly true.

She looked like a child, but her awareness and reactions made it obvious she was far from a child mentally.
Maybe it was because she was a magical beast, but even without understanding human language, she grasped situations through sheer instinct.
"Well, even if a magical beast turns human, it’s not like they’d automatically adopt human behaviors."

In other words, being smart didn’t mean she’d act like a grown-up human.
Despite her intelligence, she didn’t seem to care at all how her actions might be perceived by others…
…

[Why the sudden silence?]
She’s totally like the Hero, isn’t she?
She really was.

[…What?]
She understands everything happening around ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) her but doesn’t give a damn and just does whatever she wants.
[……]
Even the Holy Sword fell silent, unable to deny it.

But unlike the Hero, who acted on pure selfishness, this one clung to Carlyle out of sheer affection. It was the total reverse of Gray…
[…I’m the one who saved her, you know.]
I think she believes I did.

Which would explain this behavior.
She clung to him like he was the center of the universe, following him everywhere.
"Well, if she follows you that loyally, I don’t see a problem."

At the dean’s comment, Carlyle scratched his cheek.
…He felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Wasn’t this the same thing that happened with Panhyma?

"You’re saying I should bring her around with me?"
"You’re the one who claimed you’d raise her, didn’t you?"
"Well, yes, but…"

Wasn’t the dean being a little too casual about keeping a disaster-class magical beast on school grounds?
Who knew what might happen.
Sure, she had been subdued fairly easily last time, but in essence, she was still a monster powerful enough to topple a nation if she went berserk.

"You’re always the eye of the storm. Trouble just seems to erupt wherever you are."
"I’m not someone who constantly causes chaos, you know."
"Big talk coming from the guy who ripped off a prince’s family jewels with his own hands."
"……"

…Fair.
His past actions were too far from that of a normal, law-abiding citizen to argue otherwise.
"And what has Her Highness Vissels been up to lately?"

"Looking like that, where would she go?"
The dean scratched his cheek as he replied.
"She’s just working around the academy."

"……"
"I think she’s helping out Princess Illia. Figured, since they’re both royalty, it’d be good for them to get acquainted."
What the hell kind of nonsense was that?

"…You’ve got royalty working inside the academy?"
"Right now she’s just a nameless woman. Can’t feed her for free if she’s not even royalty anymore."
"……"

"Those who don’t work, don’t eat. Solid words, wouldn’t you say?"
"……"
Every time he spoke, Carlyle couldn’t help but think—this man was out of his mind.

"Oh, speaking of royalty."
"Yes?"
"Let’s increase the intensity of our lessons. We used to do once a week, let’s go for two or three now."

"I don’t mind. What’s the reason?"
"You were summoned by both the First Prince and Second Princess, weren’t you?"
"…I was."

He remembered clearly how shocked he’d been at their unexpectedly normal behavior.
"The Gray Cardinal says you’ve also started getting involved with the ‘Black Lion.’ If things go badly, you might even attract attention from the Emperor."
"…Yes."

He’d heard that too.
The one who intercepted the materials for turning Blackie human had been backed by the Black Lion.
First Prince. Second Princess. Black Lion… and the Emperor, who was involved with all of them.

That meant, effectively—
[System Log]
▶ You can now access information related to the ‘Imperial Family.’
▶ Increased likelihood of encounters with factions connected to ‘Demons’!

[System Log]
▶ The ‘Imperial Household’ is wary of you.
▶ Chance of contact with ‘Noble-type Demons’ has drastically increased!
…In other words, the odds of meeting the true hellfire lurking within the palace had just skyrocketed.

In one form or another.
A demon was hiding there.
Not just any demon—but a true monster, a ‘Noble.’

"Whichever way things go, you’re going to set foot inside the palace sooner or later. Everyone in there wants you, one way or another."
The dean grinned as he went on.
"Not long now before you’re dragged into the Empire’s most accursed den of vipers, student."

"……"
"So I figure, better to strengthen you before that happens. Hence the extra lessons."
Dean Sior leaned his chin on one hand, still smiling.

"Like I said, you really are the eye of the storm."
"……"
It wasn’t something Carlyle wanted to hear—clearly.

***
And, of course.
The dean’s words were validated before the day was even over.

It happened that afternoon, as Carlyle was crossing the Yoram campus after leaving the dean’s office.
"Pa—ha!"
Squealing with glee, Blackie rubbed her hands all over Carlyle’s cheek.

"…Hmph."
Watching quietly, Gray snorted through her nose.
Her gaze was fixed, annoyed, on Blackie clinging to Carlyle’s shoulders.

"Are you planning to carry her around like that forever?"
"She just won’t let go, Miss."
He gently patted Blackie’s head as he spoke.

She purred softly like a cat.
"…She really does seem like a pet. Can I try petting her too?"
Gray extended her hand toward Blackie.

"----!!"
Blackie’s eyes immediately sharpened, her mouth gaping open at Gray.
She looked ready to bite.

A far cry from the docile creature she was around Carlyle.
"You little—trying to die?"
"……"

Of course, Gray’s deadly glare was far more terrifying—but still.
"She’s like that with everyone but me. It’s not just you, Miss."
She’d growl at anyone who so much as approached. Carlyle had calmed her down countless times already.

If a disaster-class magical beast decided to bite something, the damage would not be minor.
"…Well, guess I’ll have to socialize her a bit."
Originally, he’d planned to get demonic information out of her by talking—but if they couldn’t even communicate, that was pointless.

Still, she followed him so closely that teaching her some words might be possible.
And while he was at it, he could teach her what she should and shouldn’t do around people…
"…You really do look like a dad raising his daughter."

"Right? I think so too."
"Why do you sound like you’re used to this?"
"I’ve done it a lot."

[…Fuck’s sake.]
"……"
Why the curse, now?

As Carlyle pondered that, Gray sighed and said,
"A disaster-class magical beast as a daughter… what a twisted fate."
"…No kidding."

"How do you keep attracting stuff like this? You sure you’re not giving off some weird pheromone that lures freaks?"
"Come on, that’s ridiculous."
Where in the world would you find someone who gets caught up in trouble every time they walk somewhere?

Look at Blackie—he’d compressed her into a tiny, manageable size. With enough socialization, she wouldn’t cause any trouble for a while.
The royal family might be looking for him, but nothing urgent was pressing down at the moment.
Right now was the perfect opportunity to enjoy some precious peace and quiet.

"Founnnd—youuu!"
…Or so he thought.
A massive living creature suddenly appeared in the sky above the academy.

"There you are, Carlyle Belfast!"
A massive red dragon dove toward him, wings flapping furiously.
No matter how you looked at it, this made no damn sense.

Every person within the academy stared in shock. Screams rang out all around.
"You bastard! I flew across the entire continent looking for you—!"
"……"

"I’m Leona Libelle, Master of the Red Magic Tower! Come out right now! I’ve got a mountain of things to ask you, one-on-one!"
"……"
Beside him, Carlyle could feel Gray’s cold stare.

"Didn't you say nonsense like ‘Who even gets caught up in problems wherever they go?’"
"……"
…This was all the dean’s fault.

In any case, yeah.
So much for peace.