The Villain Is Destined to Die: But as the Creator, I know All Endings Chapter 61: The Shattered Swordmaiden [5]

Click!

The clicking of tal sound was faint, yet it echoed through both of their ears like a church bell.

A gust of wind rushed across the snowfield.

They both blinked at the sa ti.

And then.

The scene was no longer the sa. The horde of chiras was gone. Not gone, but eradicated to the last bit of shred.

What remained was nothing but torn limbs, rolling heads, and rivers of blood soaking into the snow.

Alice stood frozen, her eyes widening. Her throat worked, but no words ca out. Then, finally, it burst out of her.

"What the fuck was that?!"

Leon’s body stiffened, his eyes darting across the field. Not even he could comprehend what had just happened. His heartbeat multiplied severalfold; he just couldn’t suppress his excitent.

"Phew," the swordmaiden exhaled softly, brushing back a lock of her hair, "nearly got my hair damaged."

Her tone was casual, as though butchering a hundred beasts was no more effort than wiping snow from her cloak.

Leon got goosebumps all over.

This power... if he could grasp it, if he could wield sothing like this—what would even stand in his way?

Even Ethan wasn’t able to do it in the ga.

Leon gulped, holding onto his cold hand, to stop him from shaking.

He wanted to try it out, to have a taste of the power.

’I want it.’ He thought.

Now, Leon would not want to risk losing such an opportunity.

The swordmaiden walked a few steps ahead, her boots crunching in the snow. Then she turned back, her crimson eyes glowing faintly before she spoke.

"Co on, you two. We will only encounter more chiras if we stay here. It’s better if we move tomorrow. For now, I will guide you to the cave, where I am staying."

— — —

It wasn’t long before the dark clouds covered the sky. The white landscape, which was once glittering with the sun’s rays, was now blanketed with darkness.

The chiras were already out of sight, and even if they encountered one, then the swordmaiden would nuke it with her sword in the blink of an eye.

"Huff... huff..."

"Oh... fuck sideways... how much more... I have to...huff... walk..."

The swordmaiden was leading the way; however, both Alice and Leon were out of breath now. Even taking a step was too much for them.

They were gasping for breath even though they had only walked a little around... twenty-five kilotres in the snow.

"I can’t feel my legs." Alice cried, looking at Leon, "Hey, if I die, tell my gramps that I was the one who threw the family pot on my father’s head."

"..."

Leon narrowed his eyes, maintaining his steady pace, listening to Alice’s bullshit.

"Hey, at least speak, asshole." Alice clicked her tongue before muttering, "Ah, for fuck’s sake, what a stupid exam. The temperature’s so damn cold, it’s killing ."

Leon glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"You know... You burn more energy if you keep on talking."

Alice blinked, panting.

"...What’s that supposed to an?"

"..."

Leon didn’t bother answering.

Alice groaned. "Don’t tell you’re trying to act like so mysterious prick again. Just admit you’re dying inside, too. Huff... I bet your legs are screaming like mine."

Leon ignored her, fixing his gaze on the swordmaiden up ahead.

"Tch. Fine. Don’t answer . When you collapse face-first in the snow, I won’t bother giving you a fuck."

The swordmaiden, who had been walking several steps ahead, finally slowed down.

"We’ve arrived."

Alice raised her head; her exhausted eyes goggled.

The cave that the swordmaiden pointed toward was nothing special from the outside, just a dark hollow buried in a snow-filled mountain. But once they stepped inside, their breath got caught.

Alice’s mouth was wide open in shock.

"Is that a pond inside a cave?"

A pond lay in the centre of the cave. Above, a wide gap in the ceiling showed the night sky, and the pale light of the moon could be seen; the moon’s shadow rippled across the water like silver threads.

"Whoa..." Alice muttered.

Even Leon found himself pausing, unable to tear his gaze away.

The swordmaiden walked in without hesitation; turning around, she welcod them.

"This is where I live."

The swordmaiden coughed awkwardly before adding, "I didn’t expect to have any guests. It’s been several months since I have seen any living human here."

’Living?’

Leon noted the word but didn’t ask the aning behind it.

Sothing was strange.

Leon made sure he would ask the swordmaiden about it later.

The swordmaiden gestured toward the pond.

"Wash yourself up in that pond."

She turned to Leon.

"I apologise, but I don’t have any n’s clothes with . As for the young lady, I think my clothes will fit her just about right."

"It’s alright," Leon said, forcing a smile.

A nice bath under the moonlight... how long had it been since Leon did sothing like that?

But Alice had other thoughts.

"Wait! That place is open, will he not see when I... umm..."

Leon narrowed his gaze.

"I am not interested."

The swordmaiden interfered.

"Oh, I never thought of this before. During battlefields, it is quite common to wash up in the open."

"Yeah, but right now we’re not on a battlefield."

Leon sighed, then said, "Don’t worry, I will go outside. You can wash up before ."

His gaze fell on Alice’s clothes and flesh.

"...And you stink. I feel sick just standing next to you."

"Huh. What was that, jackass—"

"Now now..."

Leon ignored them and went outside the cave.

He rested his back on the cave’s entrance wall and sat on the cold snow.

Lifting his gaze, he looked up at the night sky.

"How strange," he muttered.

Despite being just a fragnt of the story, the swordmaiden felt like a living human. As if she never perished.

"A legend’s story, stored in a library to be rembered for eternity..."

That was the whole concept of the Astral-Tale Library. So of the records even stored the fragnted tales of the Calamities. They were all five stars, and it was forbidden to even take a glance at them.

"Co to think of it..."

Leon recalled sothing.

"Didn’t Ethan enter one of those five-star books before?"

It was in the ga’s original storyline. In that book, he witnessed the end of the Great Calamity War. He even got to et all five Calamities, including the Silvermoon Goddess, again.

This book, [The Shattered Swordmaiden], was just a two-star book.

As he thought that, a yellow translucent window flashed before his vision.

[The Shattered Swordmaiden]

Genre: Romance, Sword Art

Difficulty: ★ ★ (2 star)

Player needed: 2 - 4

Progress: [0%------------------]

"Zero per cent progress even after all that?"

How much longer will it take for them to clear the book?

"Help the protagonist to reach the end of the book in the most efficient way possible."

That was the target of this exam.

’Well, we didn’t help the swordmaiden, so I think that zero per cent progress is sowhat explainable.’

Currently, Leon has two goals:

First, clear the book and score in at least the top three. Second, gain the trust of the swordmaiden and uncover her secrets about the Moonblade and why she was not being affected by its side effects.

Both of them sounded simple, but there were hidden layers lying beneath each goal, which Leon needed to work through.

Leon stretched his legs out, but the snow was too damn cold, so he pulled his knees close and rested his chin on them.

He wanted to shut his ears off, but the silence of the snowfield made everything echo a hundred tis louder.

From inside the cave, faint splashes of water could be heard.

"Why don’t you join too, miss?" Alice’s voice called out to the swordmaiden, faint yet clear enough to reach him.

Leon’s face stiffened.

’Oi, didn’t I tell her to just act normal?!’

"Oh? Sure. I don’t mind. Let undo my clothes," the swordmaiden replied without a shred of hesitation.

Leon’s head dropped into his hands.

’Of course she doesn’t mind. Fuck sideways.’

Splash-!

The splash grew louder, followed by Alice’s sudden scream.

"W-Wow, your’s are huge!"

Leon slamd his palm against his forehead.

’Can’t she at least lower her damn voice?! Do they want to hear all that?

Inside, the swordmaiden let out a light chuckle.

Alice asked, "...mine is nowhere close to what you have; look at them! Can I ask what you usually eat?"

"Eh? ? Oh, I only eat at and fruits."

"at and fruits? Noted."

Splash-!

More water splashing.

Leon pressed his back harder against the wall and groaned.

’Great. Just fucking great. I’m stuck here like so pervert eavesdropping on two girls talking while bathing. This teenage body’s hormones are already killing , and now this?’

He dug his fingers into the snow, trying to distract himself with the sting of cold, but the voices inside carried on without rcy.