Osprey’s brow twitched.
“All of the teachers including me clearly saw the magic power you emitted with our own eyes. Yet you don’t have that much mana?”
“That’s the magic power of my ‘sword’. That’s why I’m telling you. It’s a pearl necklace around a pig’s neck.”
Osprey ‘permitted’ me to lie.
A permission born out of Osprey’s own conviction.
The young Enfer who confronted Kora is Frondier de Roach. He must’ve been convinced of this and gone on to devise the logic within.
But even the great Osprey doesn’t know everything.
“You can sense it now if you want. I don’t have that much mana.”
Of course, there’s a lot I was hiding. Such as the Penelope’s Fabric that’s currently hung on my necktie. Even the necklace ‘Black Lotus’.
But if Osprey really believes that that’s the extent of the magic power I have…
There’s no way Osprey can realize the truth.
Osprey, who did seem dubious, reached out with his hand and placed it on my shoulder. Perhaps he’d know even without making contact, but it seemed he was trying to thoroughly check if I was hiding anything else.
Of course there was a lot I was hiding, but it wasn’t my magic power.
Osprey’s eyes wavered.
My amount of magic power is extremely ordinary. No, it has grown rather a lot thanks to the continuous draining of mana and the influence of the dragon heart I used in the previous fight with Renzo, but that’s all.
My mana is somewhat above average for first-year students at Constel, but it falls significantly short of what I had when I subdued Kora.
"…I see. So, you don't have that much mana."
Osprey withdrew his hand, and his face deepened with concern.
"Then, is it truly just the power of Excalibur?"
Of course, that was a lie. The inherent magical power of Excalibur isn't remarkable.
The ability of Excalibur is simple and straightforward. Its strength increases by the amount of magical power bestowed upon it. It's not just that the magical power directly becomes strength, but Excalibur itself amplifies the magical power even more. The more magical power that is bestowed, the more exponentially its strength grows.
I consumed a fake dragon heart made by weaving, and due to the side effects of being fake, I replaced my deteriorating body with Penelope's fabric.
The weaving, the difference between a fake and a real dragon heart, Penelope's fabric. Unless one fully understands all these aspects, even Osprey would find it impossible to discern the truth.
And most importantly.
"It's an honor that the principal thinks highly of me, but I'm just a first-year student who's nothing special."
This lie is much more natural than the truth.
I'm just the human sloth, Frondier. It's more reassuring to believe the lie that Frondier isn't remarkable and it was just the sword's power, than to figure out how such a student could have acquired that much mana.
The Excalibur I held in front of Kora, if I had swung or thrown it carelessly, would have truly unleashed hell.
It's better to believe in the power of the weapon than to think a student could destroy Constel at any moment if they wished.
"…Are those words sincere?"
"You allowed me to lie, didn't you? Of course, they are sincere."
I said with a brazen face and a smile.
And beyond lies and truth.
I just give Osprey the answers he wants.
It's not easy for a person to deny what they hope to hear.
"So, how did you get that sword?"
Good. It seemed Osprey believed what I had said so far.
"You borrowed it? From whom?"
I looked around. It was a kind of action.
"Surely, this place is soundproof, isn’t it?"
At Osprey's reply, I deliberately lowered my voice to speak.
This time, Osprey's eyes widened as if truly surprised.
I'm sorry, Aster. Just borrowing your name for a moment.
"Aster Evans… He had Excalibur?"
"Yes. Please keep it a secret."
Aster would go to the lake I once visited and acquire Excalibur.
By the time Osprey checks whether Aster really has Excalibur or not, it will already be in his possession.
"Why would Aster give it to you?"
"We exchanged something. I gave one of my precious things to Aster, and in return, he gave me Excalibur."
"What precious thing?"
I didn't give Aster anything.
But it's a believable lie. He would have been less convinced if I said I bought it with money.
Osprey sighed. It seemed his preconceived thoughts were quite shaken.
The Indus eradication operation. I really like it.
However, my participation must be limited.
I have no intention of using all my abilities, nor do I want Osprey to think that's possible.
If he wants my 'bombardment', that's all. I might help.
But I have no intention of doing more than that.
This lie I told is a line between Osprey and me. A boundary we do not cross.
"So, will you participate in the plan?"
"If you allow it, I would like to."
"Can the power of Excalibur be summoned at any time?"
"Of course. But only once a day."
Osprey understood my intention.
The only thing I can do is wield Excalibur.
"When does the plan start?"
"That depends on when Indus moves. This plan is predicated on a 'counterattack'. But this time, it's also easy to predict when Indus will move."
The question that popped into my mind. Osprey reminded me of something I had momentarily forgotten with his next words.
"There's a school trip coming up, isn’t there?"