The Young Miss has been kidnapped and the guard that had been put into the interrogation room has disappeared...! Where have they gone?! The Alarm Type Spell Circles had been triggered and everyone who was even a half-decent fighter was put in action.

I grabbed my favourite sword-staff dad gave me and went too look for the one I admired most: The Young Miss of the Swordwick Household! There was doubt in my mind that she was safe, what I was doing was merely a formality. After all, how can she not be safe?

However, after I got there, Mom came back and grabbed my arm. She stopped me from going forward with tears in her eyes, causing me to be confused. I've never seen mom cry before, so why is she crying now?

"Mom, where's Dad?"

"He's... Ben is... your father is... gone."

"Where has everyone gone? Aren't they going to miss their shifts? Teacher will be angry if dad misses his shift again." I spoke to remind her, but mom didn't seem to want to listen to me. Why isn't she replying?

.....

....

...

Afterwards, all I remembered was a funeral and crying my eyes out... I didn't want to accept what happened... and maybe I would have stayed in that state for the rest of my life if my friends didn't give me a push. Dad didn't raise no wimp who couldn't control his emotions and move on. Though it looks Mom will need some time before she could properly internalise what happened to him...

Many lost their family members that day, and some started showing signs of being more violent thanks to having no outlet for their depression. Death isn't rare in this world, but it is devastating nonetheless.

Two days had passed since that incident that I really... don't want to remember. Many of things other people say I did that day wasn't something I remembered. I felt a lot things in the meantime. A pat on the shoulder, head, back... and many gestures from people who truly cared about me.

I have internalised Dad's... death. I truly feel I'm not in pain anymore... my heart is strong. I'm strong. A strong person like Dad. Teacher Fredrick said that the Young Miss is alive somewhere. Something about a magic that distorted time and space.

I don't want to think about it... What good will come of it even if I do? And what's with Teacher's son?

He goes around acting all arrogant, ignoring his fellow comrades, all us other next generation of this Household's servants. Does he still not understand the intricacies of our home?

Unlike other Noble Households, there were only two types of people who become 'Sword Servants' of the House Master's 'collection'. Those that had accepted his invitation and those who were born here. The pay for our services was secondary to the bond we Sword Maids and Sword Butlers had with each other. This is what made us feared.

And yet, the only son of the Head Maid and my Teacher is this scrub who seems like he's in his own world all the time. I'm not sure if he's only pretending to not hear the invitations of others our age but I can't stand how he strange this guy is.

But you know what? Is there anything I can do to him now after he beat me? I riled up the others to go put him in his place not long ago and all we got was proof that he truly was THEIR successor.

Even though I'm the one inheriting his father's torch, even though his Magical Talent is so low that he probably couldn't learn an Intrinsic Art of his own, why is he so much stronger than us...?

All Sword Servants put emphasis in hard work. We put everything... our body, our minds, our hearts, and even our souls on the line to become worthy of being in this Household... and yet: All of us were beaten by someone with lower Magical Talent?

After that incident happened, it's as if the world has become quieter all of a sudden. The adults is using every power and connection they have to find the Young Miss while my fellow Sword Servants are now risking their lives to train.

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Strength... If he had more power, those around us wouldn't have been harmed. If we were stronger, a loss like this would have never happened. That is the truth we next gen Sword Servants knew well.

As I was lost in thought: My nemesis appeared in front of me in a state that I never seen before.

Here he is with his knee on the ground gasping for air as if he was suffering from some lung disease.

What a joke would be... People rarely got ill even in the most run down of villages unless there was some direct cause like letting Monster meat rot in broad daylight. Only the most foolish of common folk would not keep their surroundings clean.

...I'm pretty sure I'd be able to beat him up if he's in this state. Then I'd finally get some sense into that tiny brain of his that only seems to have an abnormal amount of affection for his direct relatives. I mean, I get treasuring your... parents greatly, but his way of doing it just goes overboard like that time we saw him 'hunting' Merilin down.

If she herself hadn't told me, I would have thought his clinginess was going to far back then.

Either way, I guess I'll refrain from fighting today. I am not in the mood to do anything to him anymore.

No matter how good of an opportunity this is, I am not the type who'd take advantage of his temporary weakness. Besides, there's a chance we can probably empathise with each other today...

Maybe this time he'll actually confide in me.

"Hey, what's wrong with you...?"

"..." He didn't answer as I lifted him to the side carefully... His face was paled white like milk.

"Do you want to see a Healer? In fact, I might as well bring you to your sister since she's adept in the Water Affinity anyway." I told him plainly as it seemed like the natural course of action to take.

"Don't..." He murmured under his breath. Hearing this kind of response, I suddenly didn't know what to do. I couldn't leave him be. Even though this guy annoys me, he's still one of us, a Sword Servant that had become the Personal Servant of 'hers'.

Hah... Just thinking back to that gave me bad memories. What a lucky guy... If it wasn't for the fact that I needed more time before I could properly fuse my Dad's Intrinsic Art with my Teacher's 'Aura Shaker', then I wouldn't have lost.

Wait- I am being a sore loser, aren't I? If father was here, he wouldn't have let me make excuses.

Yeah, he would... No, I shouldn't think about him for now, I won't be able to control my emotions.

I need to distract myself, so:

"Are you worried about the Young- I mean, your Master?" I decided to talk to Simon properly instead of looking down on him. I'm also curious about why this guy seems so weak today.

"I am."

"I see, you're not the only one though. So... what are you going to do? Train or look aimlessly?" I rolled my eyes almost instinctively. Yeah... I'm just not good at being sensitive towards others, am I?

"I'm trying to make my mind up."

"About what?" I asked while leaning on the wall of the corridor and sitting next to him. There was a nice rock candy I took out to eat... though it wasn't a treat I'm sharing considering I still dislike him.

"There's a 'convenient path' I can take in my life and the 'right path'. I'm trying to pick which."

"...This is heavier than I imagined. So you're THAT kind of person, huh? You really ARE dislikable."

"Just answer the question..."

"Even if I answer, would you bother to listen? Don't like you even remember what my name is." There was a doubtful look in my eyes as history has shown that Simon Rainglow will NEVER remember.

"You never told me y-"

"Son of a- Damn, if only we weren't practically martial brothers in way... I already told you a year ago that my name is Jack. How the hell do you keep forgetting my existence? Even Teacher is concerned by how you NEVER remember me!"

No, this didn't apply to just Teacher. I was given a pitying look by his mother before our match that one time as well... As if to tell me she had to practically 'introduce' me to him again...

"Sorry, my mind burns out irrelevant information sometimes. I forget people I don't have any interest in pretty easily." This midget said without a hint of shame. A very complicated hatred arose in me...

"I would have punched you if it wasn't for the fact you told be the exact same thing a year ago... and the year before that... and the year before that. I've already given up on your memory at this point."

"Okay, this useless topic aside, what are your thoughts? I'd like to use it as a reference."

"Since you seem to think this is important. It's only natural that... I don't care enough to answer."

"What do you want?"

"Remember my frickin' existence, dammit." This is the only thing I want, is it so hard to do? Will you die if you remember the name of more than five people? I'm pretty sure you don't even know the Duke's name. Do you just call him 'House Master'?

"Done." He readily agreed without hesitation.

"..." I don't believe you!

"What?"

"Do I look stupid?" I am very seriously asking. Does my stature instantly make him think I'm dumb?

"...No."

"You hesitated." I'm gonna bloody kill ya!

"Let's just get back to my question."

"Forget about your question. Why aren't you devastated at your Master's disappearance?"

"I am. So stop being insensitive or else I'd also start asking why aren't mourning right now."

"...I don't need to answer that." Fine, I'll lay off since it would be go against the point of taking to you. And I'm serious this time, you better prepare yourself if you actually forget I exist again...!

"Same here." It was only now did I notice his eyes were red and puffy. It seems that... he also-

Nah, let's just forget that train of thought.

We glared at each other for good moment before deciding to bury the hatchet in case we lose control and start fighting right here. Now wasn't the right time to stimulate the other servants. They needed more time to internalise their loss... and so did we. It's only now do I realise that I also feel like going back to my room and train, I need to vent...!

"Fine. About your weird question: Just do what your heart tells you. More accurately, just do what you want... Why are you asking me? You can't expect me to say much if you don't give context."

"No, that's fine. I consider that an answer."

"...You sure?" Now that's a little surprising.

"I can tell it's from your heart."

"Which isn't exactly a good thing. Can't you see my heart doesn't care what you're talking about?"

"That's also fine with me." He gave a unnatural smile that I didn't think he was capable of doing...

What, don't tell me he's fallen for me. I know I'm pretty awesome, but please, hold yourself back. I don't swing that way. Wait, maybe I shouldn't be inwardly making fun of him since this is the first time he opened up even a little. For once, this ultra sociopath actually spoke more than five words!

I didn't realise this at first, but didn't he speak more words to me than anyone else who's not part of his direct relatives besides Anna? Could be really be into guys now? Well, I better leave now... I'm too straight to want to hear the answer from him.

He's being creepy all of a sudden... Maybe I wouldn't care if this was someone else, but this is Simon we're talking about. That guy who acts like an introvert and avoids any proper social interactions. How can he suddenly be... 'social'?

"I'm gonna leave now."

"Have a good day?" A chill ran down my spine as I decided to ignore this improved(?) version of Simon who was more polite. It would be more convenient not to ask what brought this change...