Zion took out the necklace and peered at it closely. When he compared it to Hanette's, it had the exact same shape. Moreover, it carried both Hanette's magical energy and Brecht's flame within it.
'…Sister, is there a reason you chose this particular one?'
'Remember what you told me back then? Right, you said it chases away bad luck and brings good luck. I gave it to you with the same meaning in mind.'
'Feels like there's another meaning in there.'
'I told you it's the same, didn't I? What did you do to that necklace you gave me?'
'I infused it with magic. I also said it would help you whenever you needed it.'
Recalling old memories, Zion spoke quietly. He had worried for Hanette yet hoped events would continue as originally intended. That was why he imprinted Exceed Rain's power into the necklace—so it could aid her in critical moments. In doing so, the necklace he had given her became both an unbreakable promise and a way to protect her.
'To be honest, I'm not sure if this necklace will help you. Maybe another present would've been better. But... I just really wanted to give you something like this, just like you did for me.'
With those final words, Hanette lowered her gaze, as if even a scoffing laugh would be too generous. She merely wanted to do as Zion had done and recapture that sense of giving a similar gift. And yet, even if Zion possessed that necklace, he might not find a use for it the way she had.
'So this is a gift meant for me?'
'Yes, it's for you, but whether it helps or not...'
'So I'll need to keep it with me at all times, right?'
'You don't have to. It's not the same as the one you gave me.'
'It's not different at all. Just a moment ago, Sister, what did you say?'
'Um… that it's not helpful?'
'Not that.'
'That something else might've been better?'
'Go a bit further.'
'That I wanted to give you something in the same way you gave me yours?'
'Exactly. You had the same thought as I did when you gave it to me, so I should be grateful.'
Zion fiddled with the necklace for a moment before putting it around his neck. A strange sensation tickled him around the collar.
'How have you managed to wear this all this time?'
'You only just noticed how uncomfortable it is? Think about how I felt.'
'Does it still feel uncomfortable?'
'Not anymore. Once you wear it a while, you barely notice it.'
'Even so, a necklace is a necklace... so I'll keep it on.'
Zion adjusted his collar and glanced at the necklace. Hanette's magical energy was still bound to it, and with the addition of the flame-imbued Magic Sword Brecht's power, it seemed to have its own special significance.
'But how did you manage to get this? I’ve never once seen you shopping.'
'I asked for it in secret. I didn’t want you to notice what I was up to.'
'...Ah, did you ask for Serenine the Cardinal's help?'
'Yes. She said she'd send it over with her own magic woven in, and that's how it ended up in my hands.'
'……?'
Zion tilted his head and placed a hand over the necklace. In order for a holy knight to recognize an item as a sacred relic, one typically had to infuse holy magic into it. Of course, not just anyone could imbue magic into an object; and since the Cardinal's power was involved, its value would only increase. Furthermore, if it had been crafted by Enrite—who also bore the rank of Setinos Quasar—it would be priceless.
'You're right. I can sense her magic in here.'
'And you're only noticing it now?'
'I didn't feel anything but your magic at first.'
'Really?'
Hanette, puzzled, rested her hand on Zion's necklace. She immediately felt her own magical energy, and only when she focused could she detect Enrite's lingering power. At first, the relic had radiated Enrite's energy, but now it seemed overshadowed by Hanette's.
'Why is it like this? I didn’t use that much...'
'You brought something pretty valuable. Did you pay the same amount, though?'
'She wouldn't accept anything at first, so I practically begged her to take my payment.'
'Thirty gold coins?'
'Yes.'
'Normally you'd have to pay more than that.'
'Why?'
'Because it has the Cardinal's magic inside.'
'...And Enrite is also Setinos Quasar?'
'Exactly. Typically, it'd go for about sixty to a hundred gold coins, I'd guess.'
'Isn't that a bit too expensive?'
'People would still line up to buy it. You got it easily through your connections, Sister.'
'…….'
Hanette grew quiet, gazing at the necklace around Zion's neck. She knew next to nothing about holy relics or holy water; she'd simply paid what Zion had once mentioned. Even so, Enrite had resisted accepting the gold and personally volunteered to infuse it with her own magic. At last, that word 'connections' sank in deeply.
'Now it feels like I did something wrong.'
'It's not wrong. Didn’t she refuse your money at first anyway?'
'I didn’t realize that was the usual price...'
'Don't stress over it too much. She probably accepted it out of respect for you. If you'd tried to pay more, she might have refused entirely.'
'No, I have to repay her at some point. It's not like I'm short on money.'
'You sure? I recall you saying you wanted to buy a house later.'
'I can always earn more.'
'Are you certain you’ll find another treasure to sell for profit?'
'W-well… even if I can't, I can always work harder, right?'
Zion gave a little laugh but said nothing further. Hanette had her own pride and convictions. As long as her thinking wasn’t misguided, he wanted to respect her wishes.
'At this rate, we might never save enough to buy a house until we're old and gray.'
'Hey! You think spending a bit more now will leave us penniless?'
'It's not buying the house that's hard. It's what comes after—maintaining it. We want our place to be just as comfortable as here, but that'll cost—'
'I know that. That’s why we’re setting aside money right now.'
'Which won’t be nearly enough.'
'Ugh... I keep telling you—why not become a family head? You’d get a mansion, servants, private guards, all that!'
'You bring that up every time, but it's not as simple as wanting it. It doesn't work that way.'
'I told you. It might be too late for me, but you still can. There’s no one more talented than you!'
'Hmm...'
Zion fell silent, pondering the idea. Hanette might take over as family head through some method, but it wasn’t clear whether Robbenz would allow it. After all, Hanette had long been labeled a 'Crazy Young Lady,' only recently starting to erase that stigma. And noble daughters rarely inherited titles, so he might simply follow tradition.
'Then again, considering the current king or the Royal Knight Commander, maybe it isn't impossible...'
As far as Zion could tell, he had a higher chance of becoming the family head than Hanette did. He was a typical noble son—until suddenly, he'd become a swordsman wielding sword aura. More recently, he had even destroyed one of the Four Calamities. Barhen would soon marry the third princess and move into the royal palace, leaving no real competitor. For Hanette's sake, perhaps he really did need to become the head of the house.
The Capital City of Alain Kingdom, near its outskirts.
This area bordered the outer walls, and hardly anyone passed through. It lacked any real shopping district; only the city guard wandered around. Naturally, property values were low compared to the mansions near the palace, so poorer folks tended to live here.
'Why is the Sword of Light here?'
Oz advanced quietly toward the spot where the Sword of Light resided. Until his left arm healed, he’d been hiding away, nursing thoughts of giving up on sealing any more Magic Swords. Yet in the end, with his determination to become stronger, he finally returned to the capital.
'...I must avoid running into Zion Laird.'
He could still picture that sinister purple sword energy flashing before his eyes. If he'd been fully prepared, perhaps he could have blocked it. Maybe he'd had time to dodge and flee into the white dimension. But that was all mere speculation. One more such exchange, and he might lose his life.
'Still, Hanette Adelaira didn't seem weak either.'
Hanette Adelaira had unleashed massive magical energy, hurling flames directly at him. Perhaps, if Zion Laird hadn’t intervened, she still would have warded off his onslaught. Moreover, she hadn’t even used her own Magic Sword. In other words, she’d withheld her true skill.
'Who is wielding the Sword of Light?'
Oz already knew which people had claimed the other Magic Swords, but not this one. He only sensed it from afar, never meeting the wielder in person. And the Sword of Wind had disappeared lately, which led him to guess it had left the capital.
'...Could be a trap.'
Perhaps they're leaving the Sword of Light alone so Oz will rush in, only for the other Magic Sword users to spring an ambush. However, he felt no trace of any other Magic Swords around here. The Sword of Light still radiated from the same spot.
'Maybe I'll take a quick look?'
La Brère kept a low profile unless it fully channeled its power, meaning other Magic Sword users wouldn't sense Oz unless he prepared to fight. And if he were discovered, he could move fast—either seal the enemy's Magic Sword right away or escape into that white dimension.
'No one else around?'
Oz slipped into the old mansion enclosed by high walls. He sensed no presence, only an oppressive, silent air. The deeper he went, the clearer the Sword of Light's intense aura became.
'...So it's here.'
Oz did not seem surprised as he summoned La Brère. Standing in front of a weathered mansion, clad in white armor, was someone wielding a sword in each hand. Both were precisely what Oz was searching for.
'Wielding the Sword of Light and the Sword of Wind at the same time...'
Swallowing, Oz cautiously stepped forward. Until now, he had never heard of someone using two Magic Swords at once. More surprising, he hadn’t sensed the Sword of Wind at all until this moment.
'Of course it's you...'
Enrite gripped the two Magic Swords, trying to steady the tremors in his left hand. The Sword of Wind, Timer, throbbed violently in recognition. Based on what the three others had reported, this intruder was the one who hunted Magic Swords.
'So this human has the required qualifications.'
Enrite studied Oz, wrestling with conflicting thoughts. He couldn't simply kill this trespasser; first, he should confiscate that artificial Magic Sword, then see if he could recruit Oz as an ally.
'Zion Laird will be on his way. There's still a trace of Exceed Rain left... but I'll hold out somehow.'