Yeah.
“By the gods… To think that your kind actually exists.”
“Are you sure about this, Teacher?”
Absolutely not! But it’s too late for that now!
It was the first time I’d revealed myself to anyone. I was already regretting my decision. Still, I wasn’t going to let Lumina send Fran off without an explanation. I knew that it pained Fran to keep my identity hidden from Lumina. She didn’t want to have any secrets between them, and I felt her relief now.
My name is Teacher.
“Teacher? That’s supposed to be your name?”
That’s right. It’s the best name Fran ever thought up and she gave it to me. I am Teacher the Intelligent Weapon, Fran’s partner!
Lumina smiled at my declaration, tears welling up in her eyes. “Her partner. I see… So you’re not alone, after all. Thank goodness.”
“Hm?”
“Nothing. Pay no mind.”
But I’d heard that “thank goodness” loud and clear. Lumina was worried for Fran. Was turning her away all an act?
“Are you a Godsword, by chance?” Lumina wasted no time in changing the subject. Since it was clear that she didn’t really hate Fran, I obliged.
I don’t think so. I’m just a sword with strange powers. Sorry about that.
“Strange powers? Like what?!”
Where did I start? My whole existence was strange.
What do you think, Fran? I can shrug it off by saying that I’m a talking, floating sword if you want.
Do you…mind me telling her everything?
It figured. Fran didn’t want to hide any of it. Dias had already figured out that I was an Intelligent Weapon, so it was a little too late for privacy now. Still, Fran wanted to explain me to Lumina, and I was more than happy to let her.
All right, if you say so.
Thanks.
Fran told her everything. That I absorbed crystals, that I used to be a human, and that for some reason I woke up in the Demon Wolf’s Garden. Lumina listened to her like a grandmother listening to her grandchild talk about their day. The cold act had dropped, the malice from before completely gone. She was the Black Cat Lumina again, who loved Fran dearly.
I had a vested interest in this conversation. The five-hundred-year-old Dungeon Master might know where I came from. But Lumina’s first interjection came only on hearing about my ability to absorb crystals.
“You can gain skills from crystals? I didn’t know such a possibility existed! Can you absorb anything? Even Unique and Extra skills?”
I haven’t found a skill I couldn’t extract from a crystal so far.
“The power to obtain any skill…”
No, no. Just from crystals. Let’s be clear here.
Even so, a cog was turning in Lumina’s mind. “I see… I see! Ha ha ha ha!”
“What?”
“No, it’s nothing but…I see now!” Lumina burst into laughter. In any case, she looked like she was in a more cooperative mood now.
My turn to ask. Why did you ask Fran to go away?
“Let’s just say I have my reasons.”
Which are?
“That, I cannot say. But believe me when I say it is for Fran’s own good.”
Perhaps it was connected to Fran’s Evolution? You sounded like you didn’t want to see her. Why?
“Because I didn’t want to hurt her.”
What?
“But in doing so, I suppose I already have hurt her…Fran?”
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry!” Lumina bowed her head in apology. We couldn’t make heads or tails of what was going on. “My foolish designs have caused you great pain. I am sorry. It seems I got ahead of myself.”
“That’s okay. So you don’t hate me, Lumina?”
“Banish the thought! I would never hate you!”
“That’s good.”
But it didn’t explain why Lumina wanted to avoid Fran in the first place, or why learning of my existence had changed her mind.
I guess you’re not in the position to answer my questions?
“And for that, I apologize. I do wish to tell you everything…”
No, that’s all right.
“In any case, it seems you really can communicate with me. Your abilities are very powerful, indeed. I would believe you if you said you were a Godsword.”
I’m flattered, but I have it on good authority that I’m too weak.
I told Lumina about Garrus’ assessment, but she came up with an entirely different conclusion. “A Godsword isn’t defined by its prowess in battle.”
Wait, really?
“Indeed. Wait here. I’ll be back shortly.” Lumina disappeared into the back room and returned with an aged brown scroll. “Have a look at this.”
What is it?
“A list of Godswords I obtained a long time ago. It’s incomplete, however.”
Wow, really?!
“So these are the names of the Godswords?”
Now this was interesting. I looked at the scroll to find a list of names.
The First Godsword Alpha - Ulmer
Mad Sword Berserk - Dionis
X - Wisdom Sword Cherubim - Elmera
War Carriage Sword Chariot - Folcan
Searching Godsword Explorer - Elmera
X - Mad Faith Sword Fanatic - Dionis
Land Sword Gaia - Ulmer
X - Spirit Sword Holy Order - Ulmer
Gaolgate Sword Hel - Folcan
Flame Sword Ignis - Ulmer
X - Sentencing Sword Judgment - Ulmer
Serpent Lord Sword Jormugandr - Fargo
Water Sprite Sword Crystalos - Ulmer
Cruel Dragon Sword Lindworm - Fargo
X - Nuclear Sword Meltdown - Folcan
Lunar Sword Moonlight - Cruselca
Grimoire Sword Necronomicon - Elmera
Communion Sword Oratorio - Cruselca
Hypocrite Sword Pacifist - Dionis
Feathered Serpent Sword Quetzal—
The left column listed the names of the swords. Ignis, our old acquaintance, was among them. There were Xs next to some of the names though, and the list was cut off mid-sentence. To the right were some human-sounding names, probably the ones who crafted the blades.
“Do you know of the skill called Oracle of the Gods?”
“Nope.”
Never heard of it.
“It allows you to expend mana to ask a question of the gods themselves. And the gods will reply, although their answer depends on the amount of mana and the value of the information given. This scroll was produced when someone asked about the existence of the Godswords.”
The list looked incomplete. Did the skill deactivate midway through?
“The questioner didn’t have enough mana to ask for information about the Godswords. Once they ran out, they began to pay with their life. They couldn’t get all of the names of the Godswords or the ones who crafted them.”
What about the
