―Empress Acella.
Lishe murmured with her eyes wide open.
The expression on Lishe’s face, gripping the Holy Sword, was clearly different from just a moment ago.
She was neither the naive country girl who knew nothing nor the confident Hero she would become in the future.
The emotion in her eyes was unmistakable hatred and anger.
It was definitely a familiar face.
Although not frequent, when Lishe occasionally got excited during combat while holding the Holy Sword, she radiated that kind of atmosphere.
Her swordsmanship was calmer than ever, reminiscent of a Swordmaster, but her actions became wild and uncontrolled.
‘This was usually when the Holy Sword got destroyed.’
What was the ending probability?
Let’s check.
―――――――――――
No. 010: Holy Sword Destruction 72% → 99%
No. 014: Unbinding 66% → 2%
No. 042: Hero’s Last Stand 17% → 22%
…
―――――――――――
The probabilities for the bad endings related to Lishe all fluctuated simultaneously.
This meant something was wrong with her conditions.
‘The probabilities for the Holy Sword and Unbinding have increased, but the likelihood of destruction has also risen. What does this mean?’
I wasn’t given much time to think.
The sudden situation seemed to have thrown Lishe into confusion, and she was about to charge at me.
―Why now?
―I’ve never seen this place before. Lars, why are you here?
―…I see. You’re not the Empress yet.
―Then there’s a chance!
Lishe bent as if made up her mind. She raised the Holy Sword horizontally and assumed a combat position.
At that moment, I had an inkling.
I didn’t know how, but Lishe currently possessed the memories of the future.
A sudden regression, perhaps?
If I were in her chaotic situation…
Without a Status Window or Ending List, the only thing I’d do immediately would be the same as my first thought upon seeing Acella.
―This witch!!
Lishe lunged at Acella.
Acella’s reaction was a tad delayed. Although she set up a defensive magic circle, a magic user couldn’t win against a knight at close range.
―――――――――――
No. 042: Hero’s Last Stand 22% → 97%
―――――――――――
However, Acella was also a skilled individual. She would surely counterattack immediately and cut off Lishe’s breath.
“Tsk.”
I threw myself into the fray.
Of course, I couldn’t let either of them die.
The blade of the Holy Sword gleamed and swung wildly in the sunlight.
―Swoosh!
Lishe’s feet splashed as she came to a halt.
And she glared at me with an expression of disbelief.
I was embracing Acella, gripping her arms to prevent her from casting magic.
―Lars, why?
Lishe moved her lips briefly.
Then, as if all energy were drained, she collapsed on the spot and lost consciousness.
Knights rushed in to protect us.
*
After the incident, we returned to the Moonlight Palace in silence.
Lishe, who had been unconscious all day, returned to her original self upon waking up.
She had lost all memories that existed since she drew the Holy Sword.
“Royal Princess, about what happened on-site…”
“For now, let’s keep it confidential. Imagine a Hero who goes berserk when touching the Holy Sword and can’t distinguish between allies—everyone outside would be so proud of that.”
Acella was being cryptic, but Lishe must have felt the lethal intent radiating from her at that moment.
“I’m glad you’re uninjured.”
“…I’d rather have taken a hit, maybe.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing, just a thought.”
Acella cast a sidelong glance at me.
“If it wasn’t me that time, I intended to punish her.”
She approached me with an air of grandeur, looking up at me with her chin raised.
“Good thing it didn’t happen.”
“Because the Royal Princess’s safety is paramount.”
“I was happy.”
Acella said that and then stepped away from me.
Indeed, regardless of which of us stopped it, the outcome would have been the same.
I was also certain that Lishe wouldn’t attack me.
“Are you planning to handle the Hero’s assessment yourself?”
“I suppose I should. I need to inform the faction teammates about the symptoms.”
“Use Geass. And Lars.”
“Yes?”
“The Hero isn’t as naive as we thought. Be careful.”
Had the incident of being attacked by Lishe shocked Acella considerably? She left those words behind and went to rest.
*
I proceeded with an additional assessment of Lishe at the Moonlight Palace.
Lishe entered the prepared examination room looking quite exhausted and tense.
“Oh, Teacher.”
“I’m going to run a few more tests. Is that alright?”
“Yes… By the way, did the Royal Princess get very angry? I want to apologize, but the knights wouldn’t let me get near her.”
“That’s understandable.”
“I must have caused quite an incident while holding the Holy Sword. I don’t remember anything at all… I’m sorry, Teacher.”
Lishe drooped her shoulders and lowered her head.
Since this wasn’t an incident she initiated, I decided to ease her tension.
“I didn’t have a problem. On the contrary, you saved me from the demons.”
“Really? How did I do that?”
“No need to rush; we don’t have to fight the Demon King just yet. You’ll soon be able to handle the Holy Sword.”
“The Holy Sword… it’s currently sealed, right?”
The knights were guarding it in the warehouse of the Moonlight Palace.
“I was just thinking… but somehow, I have a bad feeling about the Holy Sword…”
Even in the future, Lishe had shown aversion towards the Holy Sword.
I hoped something good would come out of the assessment.
Let’s write another diagnosis.
―――――――――――
· Name: Lishe
· Health: 42 / 42
· Status: Healthy Body
· Injury: ■■■■ found
· Location: Brain
· Mood: ■■■, Confusion
―――――――――――
It seemed something had indeed occurred after contact with the Holy Sword.
I conducted the assessment with Lishe once more.
A few hours later, I shared the full-body MRI results with my team and pointed out one spot.
It was in the patient’s brain.
“What’s the difference when compared to a week ago?”
Hugo agreed with me.
“Is it a tumor…?”
“Not quite a tumor, more like a cyst. It’s not big but is putting pressure on the surrounding area. The results from the cerebral blood vessel examination show that the flow of mana has changed.”
“Could this be the cause of the Holy Sword’s rampage?”
“Who knows if it’s the cause or the result, but I can’t guarantee that such an event won’t happen again.”
“Then is it dangerous for the Hero to use the Holy Sword in the future?”
It’s a valid suggestion, but I didn’t see it that way.
In the future, Lishe had continued to wield the Holy Sword, but there were no reports of mana circuits rampaging.
Should it break, it breaks.
‘There’s nothing like that in the Bad Ending List either.’
It’s a matter of speculation, but it seemed wielding the Holy Sword wouldn’t result in Lishe’s death or trigger a Bad Ending.
For now, without results, the team continued their research.
I wrote down words in my notebook and activated a [Second Opinion].
‘The body is healthy, but there’s an injury. It’s a newly developed mental injury.’
When Lishe attacked Acella, her grip on the sword was different.
And she had an attitude as if she possessed information from the future, just like me.
I scribbled down the notes.
[The patient regressed from the future but experienced memory loss due to brain damage. Portions of memories were restored due to the influence of the Holy Sword.]
The second opinion added supplementary comments.
[It’s possible, but not detected in initial examinations. If there was a mistake in the initial examination, this could be assumed.]
The initial examination had been thorough; there’s no way I could have missed such a cyst.
Then…
[The Holy Sword is a type of Ego Sword, and its personality has transmitted to the patient’s brain.]
[It’s possible, but there are many unexplained phenomena present.]
That’s true. An Ego Sword shouldn’t possess memories devoid of its own.
With that, there could be only one conclusion.
[The Holy Sword is a storage device that transcends time and has the ability to transfer memories in a resonating state. The initial resonance caused a clash in the patient’s cerebellum and hippocampus, leading to the development of a multiple personality disorder.]
The response emerged.
[This is deemed the most accurate diagnosis based on current examination results.]
Indeed. It was becoming clearer.
Lishe had developed symptoms of multiple personality disorder.
One personality that knows me well, is proficient in combat, and is filled with wrath toward the world.
I believe this personality comes out only when Lishe is in a “resonance” state, allowing her to utilize the Holy Sword to its fullest potential.
Now I understood where her occasionally expert-like combat demeanor came from.
Only the resonant state of the Holy Sword can strike the Demon King. The [Unbinding] ending arises when that strategy fails.
Furthermore, with each resonance, the memories stored within Lishe are repeated, creating a new personality each time.
She must have fought constantly, failed, and witnessed the world’s destruction as much as I did during my regressions.
Her desire to escape from Bad Endings must be as desperate as mine.
That’s why she lunged to kill Acella upon seeing her before becoming Empress.
‘Now, what’s the ending probability?’
―――――――――――
No. 010: Holy Sword Destruction 99% → 72%
No. 014: Unbinding 14% → 66%
No. 042: Hero’s Last Stand 97% → 17%
…
―――――――――――
Everything returned to its original state.
‘It was mostly Lishe that caused the Holy Sword to be destroyed.’
This was not good.
Whether the system intended for me to accumulate experience to defeat the Demon King, it wouldn’t matter if it overloaded the Holy Sword itself.
‘If the future’s Lishe exists, avoiding this Bad Ending is going to be tough.’
I determined that eliminating the other personality was necessary to erase the Bad Ending.
Only then would Lishe be able to resonate and wield the power of the Holy Sword freely.
Multiple personalities are extremely rare, and it’s a disease that barely gets even diagnosed, let alone treated.
To avoid the Bad Ending, we must invoke a treatment for the mental illness.
“Let’s start with a conversation.”
I returned to Lishe.
*
Lishe was still sitting timidly in the corner like a sinner.
“Why do you look so down?”
As I approached her amicably, she attempted to show a bright smile but ended up hiding her expression awkwardly.
“Teacher, how was it?”
“There’s no problem with your body. However, the Hero’s intuition was correct.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s an issue with the Holy Sword.”
Lishe made a surprised round shape with her lips.
“Is it a curse? It’s a big deal, isn’t it?”
“Haha, don’t worry; it can be cured. But I want to ask one thing first.”
I squatted down in front of her and said.
“If the much more experienced future version of yourself offered to fight in your place, would you be willing to concede your body?”
“The future me? Uhm, uh… I’m not quite sure what you mean…”
Lishe tilted her head and eventually answered.
“I have to fight, right?”
“Exactly.”
“Otherwise, many people will be in danger.”
“More precisely, everyone on the continent.”
Lishe momentarily closed her mouth, lost in thought.
Then she asked me.
“Would you give up the fight if it were you?”
“Not a chance.”
After countless regressions, I really believed that I was the most reliable option.
Lishe hardened her gaze and answered.
“Then I’ll do it myself.”
Her response caused the probabilities to fluctuate.
―――――――――――
No. 010: Holy Sword Destruction 72% → 68%
No. 014: Unbinding 66% → 61%
No. 042: Hero’s Last Stand 17% → 16%
…
―――――――――――
The Hero is said to be the one who has the highest potential for growth.
He’s the one who will change fate.
“Good then.”
With my agreement, I opened the Status Window.
―――――――――――
○ Alchemy C
· 3 skills are waiting to be acquired.
· Experience must be increased using rare materials.
○ Medicine B
· 4 skills are waiting to be acquired.
· 2 new skills can be learned.
―――――――――――
“Let’s fix this together.”
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