The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

“Who does a child like you think you’ll fight by refusing to sleep?”

It seemed that the Sword Saint’s irritation stemmed from that point in particular.

I rubbed my aching head and glanced at the others who had followed me.

Since we already knew the route here, there was no further need for Jennifer’s assistance.

As soon as we arrived at Winterfield, we immediately completed the quotas required to maintain our grades and then headed straight to the Sword Saint. Both Claire and I could turn back time, and as of now, we both clearly remembered each other. There was no risk of me disappearing into thin air if Claire used her powers.

We had plenty of time, but we decided to move with a buffer just in case we needed to adjust schedules with the others.

And honestly, isn’t it always better to resolve things as quickly as possible?

When I looked back, hoping someone would help persuade the Sword Saint, Claire and Alice were both standing with their arms crossed, staring down at me.

“The idea of fighting someone should not equate to destroying yourself in the process.”

The Sword Saint’s voice drew my attention back to him. I turned my head to face him again.

Frederick, the Sword Saint, stood with his arms crossed, his expression stern.

“You might think you can swing a sword longer or study through the night, sacrificing your rest. But if the result is breaking yourself, then it’s something you should never do.”

There was a profound conviction in his words, so much so that I couldn’t help but wonder if he had personally experienced this before.

“...But the one I must face is a goddess.”

I replied while still rubbing my throbbing head, to which the Sword Saint let out a derisive snort.

“All the more reason to stop. To confront anyone, your physical state must be superior to theirs. Isn’t that common sense?”

But she’s a goddess.

Why would a divine being care about something like physical condition?

In that case, wouldn’t my health be irrelevant?

“From what you’ve said, it sounds like one of your sisters possesses a portion of the goddess’s power.”

Frederick sat down, the creaking of the old wooden chair resonating as if it might collapse.

“Do you not trust your sister’s abilities?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why won’t you rely on their help when it’s needed? Did the goddess challenge you to a one-on-one duel?”

“...”

I couldn’t fully grasp what he was trying to convey, so I just stared at him silently for a while before finally responding.

“If my sister uses the goddess’s power, my existence will temporarily vanish from this world.”

To be precise, gaps would form in the false memories that had concealed certain truths, creating a logical void. But to those caught within that void, the difference didn’t matter.

“In that case, wouldn’t it make sense to leave matters in your sister’s hands during that time?”

“...”

Frederick stared at me with an expression that seemed genuinely perplexed, as if he couldn’t comprehend my reasoning.

“Is your sister less capable than you?”

“No.”

Both Claire and Alice were far more talented than I could ever hope to be. Alice could maintain top grades without recklessly rewinding time, and while Claire might not always be at the top, her results were far from poor. Neither of them lacked dedication.

They not only possessed talent but also knew how to make the most of it. They understood their weaknesses and constantly worked to improve.

Compared to me, who had coasted by relying solely on my ability to rewind time, they were leagues ahead.

“Then what’s the issue?”

“...”

“Are you worried that the two of them might get hurt or even die?”

“...”

I couldn’t bring myself to answer, but Frederick nodded as if he understood.

“Yes, I suppose that’s possible. I’ve felt that way too.”

“The battlefield taught me one thing,” the Sword Saint began, fixing me with a steady gaze. “There were times I watched comrades with less skill but far greater character than me die before my eyes. And I’d think to myself, wouldn’t it all be easier if I were strong enough to protect everyone on my own?”

Frederick shrugged, his expression somewhere between wistful and resigned.

“But it doesn’t work that way. No matter how strong I became, others never stopped striving to stand alongside me. Saying, ‘I’ll protect everyone, even if it means sacrificing myself,’ sounds noble at first, but it resolves nothing. The more you carry that weight, the heavier it becomes. Eventually, it crushes you.”

There was a raw, undeniable truth in his words, perhaps born of countless experiences. His voice carried the conviction of someone who had lived through it all.

“People die in battle. It’s inevitable. But death doesn’t just happen on the battlefield. People die of illness, unexpected accidents, or even sheer bad luck, like getting struck by lightning on a clear day. Are you planning to shoulder all of that alone?”

I nodded. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

This was the one thing I couldn’t deny.

If I didn’t have my ability, I might have accepted such losses as inevitable.

But I do have the power to turn back time.

I can save someone standing at the edge of a sword.

Even if lightning were to strike from a cloudless sky, I could still save them. All I’d have to do is rewind time.

I’m not trying to save the entire world.

I just want to protect my friends. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

“Hmm,” the Sword Saint murmured, studying my face carefully.

“That’s genuine,” he said, almost to himself, before laughing softly, shaking his head as though he couldn’t believe it.

“Well, fine.”

With a sharp slap of his hand on his knee, he rose to his feet.

“Does that mean you’ll help?” I asked cautiously.

“I’m afraid not,” he replied, his voice blunt but firm.

“There’s no such method. A person’s body always has its limits. Overtraining becomes poison, and too much sleep deprivation will make you lose consciousness—or worse, kill you. The only thing you can do is maintain a balanced routine: eat well, sleep well, and prepare yourself properly.”

I stood there in silence, caught off guard by how straightforward his answer was.

It made sense, though. If there were some ability to go without sleep indefinitely, the Sword Saint himself would surely be using it.

“But,” he continued, “I can offer you some help. That’s why you came here, isn’t it?”

He wasn’t wrong.

I’d come to ask for his assistance.

Before, I’d only reached out to him long after encountering the Masked Woman. But now, with the situation escalating, we couldn’t afford to delay. Every additional hand mattered—especially here, in this northern border region.

There was almost certainly a relic hidden within the Autonomous Nation. The Empire hadn’t dispatched Jayden to burn the border for charity. They had to be after something.

The Emperor already had one piece of the relic, obtained from the false Alice’s body. While it had been ultimately flawed, he had managed to assemble it into a whole.

Searching every corner of the border would have been ideal, but the area was too vast.

Even with my ability to rewind time, Alice, Claire, and I alone wouldn’t be enough.

That’s why we’d come to one of the continent’s most skilled warriors.

“Before I make this absurdly burdensome request,” I began, “there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

The Sword Saint raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“Why are you willing to help us?”

This was the part I couldn’t wrap my head around.

In both the original story and my previous encounters, the Sword Saint had always lived by his own whims. I’d assumed he’d flat-out reject such a troublesome plea.

At my question, he studied me in silence for a moment, then glanced at my sisters behind me.

“For one, bringing not one but two imperial princesses makes me think you’re probably telling the truth.”

Then his gaze returned to me.

“And second, you don’t have any talent.”

I blinked in shock, but before I could respond, he continued.

“Your inability to dodge my earlier strike confirms it. But somehow, your movements remind me of my disciples. For someone without talent to move like that, they’d need an unimaginable amount of practice. That’s why I believe you might actually be one of my disciples.”

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“And lastly,” he shrugged nonchalantly, “at the end of this dull life of mine, I’ve been handed a chance to face a goddess. Who wouldn’t want to take a shot at that?”

...

It was such a quintessentially Sword Saint answer that I could only nod in reluctant agreement.