ISTV 26

The Quaybeck family mansion was as grand as the Devernon estate.

Between the buildings stretched a vast garden, so large it could be mistaken for a forest, and at the center of the estate was an enormous artificial lake.

In the middle of that lake was a special man-made island known as the “Grave of Swords.”

It was the burial site of the past family heads, and the swords they had used were embedded vertically in their graves, which is why it was called the Grave of Swords.

At the very center stood the sword of the first family head—Caliburn.

“So that’s the sacred sword, Caliburn.”

Seeing it in person felt completely different from seeing it on screen.

There was a kind of sanctity that no display could ever capture.

A grave of swords embedded in stone. Cool.

The area was crowded with elders and key figures of the Quaybeck family.

Themanon held my hand and guided me forward.

“This sword is Caliburn,” he said.

Then, with a worried expression, he added again, “It’s alright if you can’t draw it, child. No one will mock or blame you. Honestly, I’d prefer if you gave up here. You’re not even of direct Quaybeck blood. There’s no reason you need to be chosen by Caliburn.”

But in the end, Seila stood before Caliburn.

Haa… She took a deep breath.

Truthfully, she was utterly terrified, but Seila still pushed her hair back with a graceful and composed gesture.

Since my composure routines are working so perfectly, that means the character settings are still intact.

She reached out to Caliburn with great care.

Sparks of yellow fire crackled—crackle, snap—but they weren’t painful or disturbing.

As soon as her hand gripped the hilt of the sword, something strange happened.

“A child of Devernon, of all places, thinks she can draw Caliburn?”

“I assume they have a physician on standby?”

“Rachel’s making a huge mistake.”

I can hear them whispering all the way from here.

Many were looking down on Seila.

“This is laughable. A girl scorned for her magic, thinking she can earn recognition with a sword?”

“And in Quaybeck, the cradle of swordsmanship, no less. You live long enough, you see everything.”

They worried about other things as well.

“Even though it’s unlikely… what if she does draw Caliburn? A girl who was scorned in Devernon? Wouldn’t that suggest magic is superior to swordsmanship?”

“Horrifying thought.”

“Why worry over such a thing? That child could never draw the sword anyway.”

Then, Seila began to pull the sword.

Bit by bit, she drew Caliburn from the stone.

“Huh?”

“Am I seeing things?”

“The sword is moving?!”

Srrrng—

With a clear metallic chime, Caliburn emerged from the rock.

It was larger and heavier than Seila had expected.

And the moment Caliburn came free from the stone, something astonishing occurred.

“What… is this?”

The area around Caliburn began to freeze.

“There’s an incredible chill in the air…”

“Is that… the North Wind?”

Caliburn was also used to determine the talent and aptitude of Quaybeck’s descendants.

When someone drew Caliburn, the type of mana that erupted—its element, its strength—revealed the person’s affinity.

And then, a voice echoed from the sky:

[Blow, O North Wind.]

Seila felt a sense of relief.

The developer’s setup was still active.

I feel dizzy…

She needed to close her eyes.

With her eyes shut, she focused all her senses on the hand gripping the sword.

She had no idea how much time had passed.

When Seila finally opened her eyes again, she looked around.

There were Themanon and Rachel, both wearing stunned expressions. Beyond them shimmered the horizon.

Then it dawned on her.

The lake… froze over?

The entire lake had turned to ice, and sleet was swirling in the air.

White frost streamed endlessly from Caliburn in Seila’s hand.

All of this had far exceeded her expectations.

Even in the <Her and the Sword> “All Beauty in One World” route, Seila had pulled this sword—but these phenomena had never occurred.

And the words of that unhinged male lead, Leon, came to mind again:

“If only you had grasped that sword three years earlier… the world might have changed.”

Lady Rachel, who wielded equal authority as the family head, stepped forward and declared:

“Seila Devernon, third daughter of the Devernon family, has been chosen by the sacred sword Caliburn, once wielded by the founding patriarch.”

Her mind was tangled with emotion.

This is too much. She possesses far more talent than I imagined.

A proper physical assessment would be needed for certainty, but to release this much cold energy likely meant Seila possessed the “Nine Winters” constitution.

If she could master it, she would undoubtedly become the unrivaled master of cold-type sword techniques.

Besides the founder, has anyone else ever summoned winter?

In the thousands of years of Quaybeck’s history, only the founding patriarch had ever emitted a chill powerful enough to freeze the lake.

According to the records, this phenomenon was called “Winter.”

This girl will become a future obstacle to Quaybeck.

But hiding her true thoughts, Rachel continued speaking.

“The North Wind has risen. As recorded, she has summoned Winter, and this will be a great blessing to all who walk the path of the sword.”

Seila held Caliburn respectfully in both hands and offered it to Rachel.

“I am honored.”

Murmurs still buzzed among the crowd.

Some were in a panic. Some were awestruck. Some were deeply troubled.

But in that moment, Seila was filled with joy—an emotion that came purely from her body.

I didn’t think I’d be this happy.

No longer the ignored, worthless child—she had proven her value.

It wasn’t even this dramatic in <Her and the Sword>.

She hadn’t expected that simply doing things a bit earlier would summon winter.

They always said starting young is best, and perhaps they were right.

Still, she couldn’t fully enjoy the moment.

This much power… Lady Quaybeck is definitely going to be wary of me. Rachel the person might care for me, but Lady Quaybeck will see me as a threat.

Holding the sword upright, Seila spoke in a calm voice.

“I, Seila Devernon, third daughter of Devernon, solemnly swear before Caliburn and the two who govern Quaybeck. First, I will always pursue and reflect upon what is right.”

This was a formal declaration recited by direct descendants of Quaybeck after drawing Caliburn.

“Second, I will have conviction in my beliefs, but never let them become stubborn pride.
Third, my sword will serve only righteous convictions.
Fourth, my sword shall be one that saves lives.”

Traditionally, it ended after the fourth vow.

The fact that someone not of Quaybeck blood had memorized and recited it was already enough to move many.

But this isn’t the end.

There was a hidden piece—one the developers had concealed.

In the game, there was a blank slot labeled “_____ ____” that allowed players to add a fifth vow and unlock hidden rewards.

“And fifth—”

Seila intended to fully win over Lady Quaybeck’s heart.

I raised Caliburn high and declared:

“Command me, and I shall bring you victory.
You have chosen me—now let my beliefs be proven.”

This line was something you could only learn by clearing seemingly unrelated story quests and piecing them together.

In other words, I skipped the entire process and went straight to the final answer.

Caliburn began to glow golden.