With a chilling voice from the status window, the space of trials began to shake.

"Get lost. You look disgusting..."

(...)

"Huh...? You want to be my butler? Know your place. How dare a commoner without even a surname try to enter the Desmont household."

(...)

The space rippled and the trial began to move quickly. Like a video being fast-forwarded, the rapidly moving scenes left me disoriented, my eyes trembling as I struggled to maintain my composure.

"I said get lost!!! Why do you keep following me around being annoying?"

(...)

"You're laughing? What's there to laugh about?"

(...)

"Stop laughing. It's irritating."

I had no idea what was happening.

The situation was changing rapidly before my eyes. I saw myself forcing a smile while speaking to the Miss who had lost her memories.

"...Why are you crying alone?"

(...)

"Ah... you want to become friends with me?"

(...)

"I'm sorry. I have prior arrangements."

I saw my pathetic back as I extended a hand to Yuria who had lost her memories.

And to Mikhail.

"Who are you?"

(...)

"Huh...? You want to learn swordsmanship from me? I'm sorry, but I don't teach people I don't know."

(...)

"I'm sorry, but going to a cafe with someone I just met..."

(...)

"What? Who are you? How did you know I'm from the slums...?"

(...)

"Are you threatening me? Leave before I report you. You're making me uncomfortable."

And to Shuen.

"Oh?"

(...)

"Hmmmm... I don't know~"

And to Shartia.

"Don't you dare touch the Princess's body!!"

(hesitating...)

The pathetic sight of me failing to approach them flashed by quickly. Surprised by this incomprehensible situation, I nodded with a sigh of relief. Whatever was happening, if I had continued watching those scenes, the light would surely have gone out.

[Flicker...]

Looking at the small flame burning like a candle, I let out a sigh of relief.

'Somehow I managed to hold on...'

I seemed to be catching my breath now.

The relentless trials had left me disoriented. If they had merely shown simple illusions, it wouldn't have been this difficult, but being in illusions that perfectly recreated emotions made it impossible not to be affected.

If the process had been shown more slowly and in greater detail, the light would certainly have gone out.

'Whew...'

Standing alone in the trial space that had ended with the appearance of the status window, I stretched and tried to refresh my mood.

'That was a close call.'

Recovery was now the priority. I couldn't be sure if the trial was completely over. I had to consider the possibility that the trial might resume once the status window's intervention ended.

Refreshing my mood and calming my mind was the only preparation I could make right now.

'...Hmm.'

Sitting down on the floor, I looked at the small burning light and quietly voiced one question. I wondered why the status window had helped me.

I had always thought it maintained neutrality, so I never expected to receive such favoritism.

['Caliburn' warns the 'Unknown Entity' not to interfere with the 'Trial'.]

['Unknown Entity' threatens the source of 'Caliburn'.]

['Caliburn' and 'Unknown Entity' are in conflict.]

[Caliburn...and. Bzzt...]

·

·

·

[The trial is temporarily suspended.]

'Suspended...'

What I needed to prepare for now was the right mindset to face the trial. More important than understanding the meaning of the trial was how I approached it.

Recklessly challenging the trial and falling into depression would be problematic. I needed to think about what would happen after passing the trial too. I needed to stay calm and collect myself.

'Phew'

But I couldn't take this trial lightly either.

Thinking it wouldn't happen might make me feel better. 'Denial' was an effective medicine after all.

But.

Perhaps the memories I saw through the trial were an opportunity to avoid the worst choices. I thought I needed to overcome this trial to reach a happy ending.

Honestly, I wanted to avoid a sad ending.

I looked sad in the trial.

Like a clown hiding sadness behind laughter, I looked gloomy and depressed.

I asked myself:

'Could the current me avoid choosing black magic to protect everyone?'

The answer to my own question didn't come easily. If I could protect everyone through the sacrifice of my existence, I would gladly make that choice.

So.

The point is.

'I'm weak.'

The strength I thought was sufficient apparently didn't meet the standard for the trials ahead.

'...Then I definitely need to obtain the demonic sword.'

In the trial, I was holding Tirving. A strong desire to overcome this adversity for greater strength was welling up inside me.

'Let's do this.'

My breathing stabilized.

The dimming light also stabilized and began to burn with hopeful flames.

I slowly nodded and steeled my resolve. Don't pretend to be weak, become strong.

Thinking that was the key to avoiding the worst outcome, I slowly gathered my strength.

The noise gradually began to subside.

The noise that had continued endlessly due to the status window's intervention slowly faded, and signs that the trial would resume began to appear.

'Phew...'

-Bzzzzt...

'Let's overcome this.'

['The Trial' is changing.]

['Unknown Entity' is 'intervening' in the trial.]

'Huh...?'

With the demonic sword's words, my vision changed once again.

A cold wind blew.

The familiar pure white door appeared before my eyes again.

I slowly got up from where I was sitting and approached the door. Holding the light in my hand, I steeled my heart.

'Let's go.'

-Creeeak.

The wind blows.

Instead of a cool breeze, a warm wind brushed against my hair and caressed my face.

*

-Flash.

'Where is this...?'

I opened my eyes in a familiar place.

A familiar ceiling.

A familiar smell.

And a familiar bed.

'Bed...?'

When I opened my eyes, I was in bed.

And it was the bed I had seen for 13 years.

As I tried to quickly get up in surprise, a warm hand on my forehead gently pushed me back down. Kindly saying, 'Don't move.'

"Just lie down for a moment."

I rested my head on soft thighs.

Having unexpectedly received a lap pillow, I squinted and looked up at the owner of the thighs.

"...Hehe."

"Huh...?"

"Surprised?"

"Miss...?"

It was the Miss.

Looking down at me, the Miss was smiling while brushing back her hair. Wearing revealing clothes that showed her treasure pouch, the Miss was smiling...

"Yes, it's me."

"...Huh?"

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Really... a long time."

She was staring intently at me.

"What is this...?"

The trial had changed strangely.

'What's going on...?'

The Miss who had lost her memories was gone, and instead, the Miss wearing seductive white lingerie was looking at me with deep eyes, brushing my hair and smiling.

"Did you sleep well?"

"...Well, I didn't sleep that well?"

"Really...? That's too bad. You should have slept a bit more."

"Um... what's going on here? The seductive Miss seems a bit strange."

"What do you mean what's going on? It's a good situation."

"What?"

The Miss placed her hand on my forehead with a languid expression. Then, taking a calm breath, she began to speak incomprehensible words.

"I'll tell you quickly before the other women come."

"What?"

"I'm also excited to talk after so long, but we don't have much time."

"What do you mean?"

"Just listen."

The Miss roughly grabbed my collar and closed her eyes. Suddenly, I opened my eyes wide as something moist touched my lips, and the Miss in the trial smiled and licked her lips.

"I should have done this earlier."

"Wait... what?"

"No... I'm just saying it feels good."

[BANG BANG...!]

"You crazy bitch!!!!"

"Open the door!"

"Open the door right now before I cut it down with my sword."

The sound of someone violently pounding on the door echoed. The Miss glanced at the door that was being pounded as if it would break, smiled, and put her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't know what you're sorry for... but thank you for the kiss."

"...I. No."

The Miss looked at the opening door and said with regret.

"We're really sorry."

[CRASH!!]

"I have to go now."

The Miss pushed my chest lightly, then waved her hand in a small gesture of farewell.

My vision darkened.

Into deeper darkness.

No, I began to disappear into the original timeline.

In the fading vision, the Miss wore a sad expression and said in a small voice that couldn't be heard.

"My prince."

"..."

"This time, I hope you can grasp your happy ending..."

['Caliburn's' 'Trial' has ended.]

*

-Flash.

"Whoa!!!"

Coming to my senses, I stood dazed, touching my lips where they had met in the trial.

It didn't seem like a dream.

I stood dazed for about three minutes, feeling the vivid kiss, when familiar voices called from above.

"Commoner!!!"

"Ricardo!!!"

"...I'm back."

I had returned.

To the original world.

Not knowing how everything was resolved, I let out a long sigh of relief at having returned.

'...Things seem to have been resolved well.'

My physical condition was perfectly normal.

I wasn't contaminated by black magic, and despite holding the demonic sword, no ominous energy coursed through my body. Perhaps the magic flowing through me was even purer than when I held Tirving, and I smiled, shaking off my complicated feelings.

Let's take the good with the good.

I felt like I could draw the demonic sword now. I didn't know if I had passed the trial, but I felt like I now had the qualifications to draw the demonic sword.

"..."

Steeling myself, I slowly gripped the demonic sword and applied force. As I saw the tip of the sword slowly being drawn out, a smile spread across my face.

[The blessing of the demonic sword 'Caliburn' is bestowed upon you.]