Demon Sword.
Unlike other artifacts, this item had almost no known information even in the game.
The players only knew the name "Demon Sword" through the system.
Naturally, I also didn't know much about the effects of the [Demon Sword].
There were only two positive effects I knew of.
One was burning the existence of evil like a demon, and the other was that the ability to handle weapons drastically improved.
Apart from that, it was safe to say all other effects were negative.
A representative negative effect was mental contamination.
As Maximin warned, the Demon Sword contaminated the user's mind.
As seen in the game, the level of mental contamination was intense enough that it couldn't be blocked by the mental protection artifact I was currently wearing.
─Grasp······ what······ cut······ hand over······ run away······
It continuously spat out bizarrely fragmented language to the user.
It could be considered an Ego Sword, but that’s when there’s mutual understanding in the conversation.
It was impossible to silence the (questionably existent) mouth of the Demon Sword.
It babbled non-stop, 24 hours a day.
So much so that even Neike, whose head was usually filled with nothing but flowers, became significantly more ferocious and violent after using this sword.
──However.
Despite all that, the effect was too overwhelming.
In a situation where just one mid-level demon appearing could mess up an entire country, Neike went solo with just the Demon Sword during his academy days and subjugated a mid-level demon.
'The mental contamination is a bit concerning, but······.'
In terms of powering up, it was clear that taking the Demon Sword now would be incomparable to any other means.
Step by step──
I walked towards the Demon Sword as if enchanted.
Then, Maximin's voice came from behind me.
"Theo, don't get too close! And don't touch it under any circumstances!"
I nodded my head and approached the Demon Sword even closer.
‘Hm?’
But the appearance of the Demon Sword was subtly different from what I saw in the game.
In the game, the blade was longer and thicker, closer to a longsword, but now it resembled a rapier.
As I was observing the Demon Sword from about five steps away, thinking this.
─A new face, I see. Judging by the appearance, it doesn’t seem like you're from the Chalon family.
“!”
A woman's voice I had never heard before reached my ears.
Despite the young voice, the tone was noble.
‘Who is it?’
I looked around, but there was only Maximin nearby.
It felt like a humming in my head.
I couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from.
Regardless, the woman's voice continued.
─Hmm? Did you hear my voice? Hey! Here, here!
‘Could it be.’
I fixed my gaze on the Demon Sword.
─Oh my, oh my. It seems he really heard! My goodness, what's happening······.
······It seems I'm right.
The one speaking to me now was indeed the [Demon Sword].
However, I didn't know what would happen if I got too close.
‘Should I observe a little more?’
The information I had about the [Demon Sword] and the current situation was quite different.
It wouldn't hurt to be cautious.
After all, the [Demon Sword] had turned Neike's innocent personality a complete 180 degrees, making it like a demon.
I remained standing in my spot, not moving an inch, and stared intently at the [Demon Sword].
Then, the [Demon Sword] continued to speak.
─Hmm, there, handsome boy. I'm not a suspicious person, okay? Really! My name is Nay.
“······.”
─Ah, I might seem a bit suspicious. It's just that since I've been trapped in this sword, you're the first person who can hear my words······ I'm just too happy.
“······.”
─If you can hear my voice, could you wave your hands above?
Instead of waving my hands, I crossed them to form an ‘X’.
The voice of the [Demon Sword] grew louder.
─You hear, you really do! How should I handle this? Finally, such a day has come for me too······. Hey, what year is it now?
I raised my finger and wrote ‘Imperial Year 504’ in the air.
The [Demon Sword] fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.
─Ah······ so much time has passed. It's been over 300 years since I was trapped in this sword. The world must have completely changed. Hey, but can't you speak?
I shook my head sideways.
─Then, could you try speaking? Or, it would be nice if you could pull me out. I'm sure I'll come out easily. These chains can't hold me even if there were ten more of them. Anyway, I really hope you'd pull me out. I don't know when I'll meet someone who can hear my words again······.
That's when.
“Theo! What are you doing right now! Don't tell me you're enchanted by 'that'!”
Maximin, who ran from afar, grabbed me from behind and pulled me away from the [Demon Sword].
I said to Maximin with a shocked expression.
“No, Lord Maximin. It kept talking to me, so I was just listening to what it had to say.”
“······That was close. Don't think of it as conversation. Don't even try to interpret it. When I first tried, I heard its strangely fragmented voice and tried to figure out what it meant, but it only caused me a lot of mental trouble in the end.”
Instead of responding, I briefly fell into thought.
‘It wasn’t a bizarrely fragmented voice······?’
Moreover, there was no need to interpret anything.
I understood everything as soon as I heard it.
300 years ago, a young woman was trapped inside the sword for some reason.
My head was spinning rapidly.
Soon, a plausible hypothesis came to mind.
‘The voice of the [Demon Sword], which sounds fragmented to others, seems to be clear to me for some reason.’
I explained to Maximin the voice of the [Demon Sword] I heard and my hypothesis.
After hearing my story,
Maximin narrowed his eyes at me.
“Theo, I know you're not one to spout nonsense, but······ this is hard to believe. 'That' has been an artifact existing in the Chalon family for over 200 years. No one has ever claimed to hear its complete voice. Everyone mentioned hearing its voice in strangely fragmented pieces. But for you, who is not of the Chalon bloodline, to have heard 'that's' voice, it's frankly hard to believe.”
It was a convincing argument.
‘I was almost persuaded.’
But I couldn't back down here.
After all, I was prepared to endure mental contamination to take the [Demon Sword].
And now, it seemed that the negative issues had disappeared.
Of course, the positive effects might have disappeared as well, but it was worth a try.
······No. I must try.
After taking off all the mental protection artifacts I was wearing, I said,
“Please, give me just one chance to pull it out, Lord Maximin. I don’t know why, but I felt it for sure. It wants me right now. It said the chains binding it are irrelevant. I need power. I want to correct the future of the Waldeurk family with my own hands.”
Maximin gazed at Theo calmly.
‘To correct the family's future······ at such a young age.’
He was indeed a tough nut.
They say that those who surpass heroes and are called legends are somewhat nuts, and he fit that description perfectly.
‘But I can't just leave him to interact with 'that'.'
There was a chance Theo was lying, and if something went wrong, who would take the responsibility?
Even if he argued that it was his own choice, others would never see it that way.
However, there was a determined will in Theo's eyes.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have allowed it, but,
“······Fine. Try it once, Theo. But the moment you fail to pull it out, I'll separate you from 'that' immediately.”
He decided to give him a chance.
······He probably won’t be able to pull it out.
The magic chains binding 'that' are legendary artifacts bestowed by the Pope of the [Order of Light].
They are artifacts used even when subjugating mid-level demons during his active days.
“Thank you, Lord Maximin.”
No sooner had Theo responded than he turned around and strode towards 'that.'
Simultaneously, Maximin also bent his waist, ready to dash forward, to pull Theo away the moment he failed to pull ‘that’ out.
However.
What was expected did not happen.
“Uh······?”
Maximin's mouth opened wide, and his eyes bulged.
At the end of his gaze was Theo, who had pulled out 'that' and was holding it overhead.
