“I’ll be able to use stronger flames.”

“That’s…… really……”

The Emperor probably wouldn’t like this?

But since the Emperor was unaware that something he would dislike had fallen into Rashid’s hands, the items won at auction were safely delivered to the mansion the next day.

Befitting the Empire’s finest auction house, a carriage with double and triple security measures entered the Penvernon mansion under heavy guard.

The items Rashid won and those I won were delivered separately.

I hung the paintings I purchased in suitable places throughout the hall. I also placed the display cabinet in a matching location, and set up the magical artifact that creates small gifts like a vending machine when buttons are pressed.

‘This is what’s left.’

I lifted the court sword in its smooth scabbard with both hands. It was quite heavy for my untrained body to hold. I could barely lift it with one hand, making it nearly impossible to grip the handle and swing it.

‘What is this gem?’

The red gem set in the handle wasn’t a ruby. Its luster and color were different from the ruby in the necklace I received from Rashid.

As I looked closely, the clear crimson gem flashed with light. The center of the gem was stained black.

I should give this to Rashid. Though I’m not sure if he’ll accept it. No, he’ll probably accept it, but I’m not sure if it will be a useful sword. Would a sword made hundreds of years ago still have value? Not knowing anything about weapons, I couldn’t reach a clear conclusion.

I bought it because they said it had ancient blood and was a great sword, but I hope I wasn’t scammed?

I took the sword to the living room.

Rashid was sitting on the sofa. Since he only received the necklace and ring, he didn’t have to carefully organize things like I did.

Following his gaze, there was a square black velvet box. I knew what was inside it. My heart jumped for a moment.

“Alisa, come here.”

Having noticed me, he offered me the seat beside him. I obediently sat down.

Rashid opened the box. The necklace I saw last night revealed its ethereal form.

“It’s sky blue……”

“Because it’s daytime now.”

The teardrop-shaped gem hanging from the necklace was a clear sky blue, unlike yesterday. A white shadow appeared and disappeared deep inside. The light of the world, I thought.

He lifted the necklace from the box. I blankly watched Rashid’s movements.

“Alisa, you need to turn around.”

“Ah, yes, yes.”

At Rashid’s request, I turned my back to him. Then I quickly gathered my loosened long curly hair into one bunch.

He placed the Celestial Necklace around my neck. Rashid’s hands crossed in front of me. I was startled for a moment. Though he only wrapped his arms around to put on the necklace, I felt embarrassed at my trembling. This is all because of the necklace. It’s because of the necklace.

Rashid’s fingers touched the nape of my neck. His hands were hot. Like fire…… Was it because he was a flame swordmage who could handle fire? The brief moment when Rashid connected the small clasp felt like an eternity, and I unconsciously let out a sigh.

When I finally looked down, there lay the brilliantly beautiful gem resting gently on my chest.

“Thank you.”

I turned back around to thank him. Rashid smiled and touched the Celestial with his fingertip.

“It matches your eye color now.”

The gem is bluer and clearer though. My eyes are blue-gray, so they’re a bit duller.

“When you look into it, it reflects countless lights and changes color. Your eyes do the same.”

‘……?’

The moment I let my guard down, Rashid was about to say something crazy again. No, stop. Go back. I can’t listen to such words now. Not now and not in the future either.

Before he could continue speaking, I hurriedly picked up the sword I had placed beside the sofa.

“This is my gift to you.”

“…Is this the sword from yesterday?”

“Yes. I bought it intending to give it to you from the start.”

He stood up holding the sword. As if to check if we were holding the same thing, he smoothly drew the sword from its scabbard with a movement as natural as waving a feather. The sound of metal sliding against metal scraped sharply at my ears.

“This is……”

Hmm, it suits him well? Is it because of the decorative design? An elegant handsome man holding an elegant sword looks like a painting.

Pop!

“Eek!”

Just then, the gem in the handle he was gripping shattered with an explosive sound. I covered my ears and shrank back.

How could this be… the gem shattered? Is this possible? Did he grip it that hard? What in the world is this…… Was I really scammed? Ah, it’s fine to spend money on worthwhile things, but if not, it’s such a waste….

“Rashid, are you alright?”

Rashid didn’t move at all. He slowly raised the sword.

Then the shattered gem spread like blood vessels and wrapped around the blade. The red vines covered the smooth silver surface in the blink of an eye.

‘What’s this?’

I suddenly felt scared. I wondered if I had brought something strange. Should I not have been seduced by claims about it being an ancient sword?

“Rashid?”

I called him again. Rashid seemed not to hear my voice, completely focused on the sword. Or perhaps he heard but ignored it.

After a moment, the branches that had turned the sword bright red disappeared as if absorbing into the blade. It happened in an instant. Only then did Rashid lower the sword and put it back in its scabbard.

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That this wasn’t an ordinary sword.”

I didn’t know?

I shook my head slightly and asked back.

“What kind of sword is it?”

“This isn’t a sword from one or two hundred years ago. It’s an ancient sword, from very long ago.”

So the text explained it correctly. I was relieved it wasn’t a scam. See, sometimes it’s useful.

“The gem set in the hilt contained Dragon’s Strength. It was essentially sealed, so I didn’t recognize it at first.”

“Dragon…… you say?”

The scale is getting a bit bigger here.

“Now the seal has been broken and that power has seeped into the sword.”

“Then…… with that sword, can you use that power?”

“Yes.”

According to Rashid, the sword contained the power of a dragon that had been sealed long ago.

He awakened the power sleeping in the gem, and this was possible because Rashid possessed magical power strong enough to break the seal. The seal had remained effective until now because there hadn’t been anyone with sufficient magical power.

He said the sword’s power could control the earth, and while the specifics would have to be discovered through use, it would be exclusively used by Rashid who had awakened its eye.

‘So you’re saying a min-maxed character became a super min-maxed character?’

“It’s thanks to you, Alisa.”

Rashid expressed his gratitude to me. It was awkward, and I felt I wasn’t really the one who should receive his thanks.

I wasn’t the one who recognized the sword’s power. I just followed the text I could see. The one giving me, a person from outside the novel, the text that reveals the novel’s content is probably this world itself.

If so, the sword is a gift from this world to him.

Perhaps this world is trying to make Rashid Penvernon, one of the protagonists who makes the world exist, even stronger and more beautiful through me? Maybe that’s why it placed me in the body of the deceased Alisa.

I am already a being who has deviated from the original flow, someone outside the world’s natural order.

So, if he becomes the transcendent figure the world desires. If my usefulness ends with that, what happens to me then?

Will I still be able to live? At that end, does the life I truly want exist?

In an instant, endless questions piled up, submerging me beneath a sea of thoughts. As always, there were no answers. While being crushed under numerous doubts, my vision became hazily opaque.

“Alisa!”

Rashid’s voice pulled me back to reality. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. I looked up in surprise.

“Are you in pain?”

“No. I just got lost in thought for a moment.”

Though I said no, Rashid placed his hand on my forehead to check for fever.

“You don’t have a fever.”

His large hand covering my forehead was soft and warm. Not burning hot, but just the right temperature for me. I shook my head slightly.

“I told you I’m not sick.”

“Still.”

He pulled my arm and embraced me. Usually, I would have pushed him away asking what he was doing…… But with thoughts flooding in, my heart was troubled and I was a bit tired now.

As I leaned quietly against him, I could feel his body heat through the fabric covering him. His heartbeat too.

I closed my eyes quietly, feeling with my whole body the evidence that he was a living person. Questions I hadn’t managed to erase appeared behind my closed eyes. Like a strange ability granted to me, clear letters swayed like waves.

Why do I exist in this world?

Oh, Rashid’s god.

* * *