Chapter 14: Friend (3)

◆◇◆

While Rudy and Sylph enjoyed their days as close friends, Somal’s gang bullied them a few times.

Whenever that happened, Somal and his mother would come over, with Somal injured, and angrily berate Father.

Somehow... it seemed as though the child’s injuries were merely an excuse for her to come see Father.

Moreover, Somal would always turn up with a conspicuous injury somewhere and grumble at me to heal him.

I had my doubts as to whether Rudy had truly inflicted those wounds, but since that was what they claimed, I had no choice but to heal him.

Every time, Somal would fidget with his hands in his pockets, looking embarrassed.

And so time passed once more, until the spring when we turned six.

Rudy’s afternoon swordsmanship practice was moved to the morning, changing our daily routine somewhat.

My modest hobby of tending the vegetable garden in the morning was replaced with physical training.

Recently, Rudy’s growth in swordsmanship had begun to outpace mine, so Father shifted the focus of our swordsmanship lessons more heavily toward me.

Because of that, the content of our lessons changed as well.

We still learned swordsmanship as before, but early-morning physical training was added to the schedule.

While I trained my body, Rudy continued sparring with Father using wooden swords.

After Rudy’s sparring ended, Father and I would spar, bringing the morning swordsmanship lesson to a close.

Mother worried that it might be too harsh, but it was nothing but beneficial.

I was still a child, so strength training would not turn me into some hulking mass of muscle, but my basic stamina had definitely improved.

Thanks to that, my current abilities, after training on my own, were as follows.

※◈※

Sword God Style: Intermediate

Water God Style: Intermediate

Old-school swordsmanship: Mugai-ryu

Wind Magic: Intermediate

Water Magic: Saint-tier

Fire Magic: Intermediate

Earth Magic: Elementary

Healing Magic: Intermediate

※◈※

Once the morning swordsmanship lesson ended, Rudy went outside to play with Sylph.

Father could not conduct our swordsmanship lessons all day, either, so he took time to rest.

During that free time, I practiced old-school swordsmanship alone with a real sword.

Lately, I had reduced the time I spent practicing magic circles and devoted myself solely to the sword.

I wanted to master the strike Father had used to cut through a stone as soon as possible.

It would not do to remain Saint-tier in swordsmanship.

I knew that. But...

When I was recognized for my skill at the Mugai-ryu dojo and set out on my own, I was seven... So in this life, I want to be recognized at around the same age, or perhaps even earlier.

I could not possibly allow myself to fall behind who I had been in my previous life.

Besides, this body possessed limitless potential beyond anything my former body could compare to.

After all, this was a world where one might achieve the strength of an army of a thousand with a single sword.

And I had been born the son of a knight in such a world.

Surely, there were many formidable swordsmen in this world.

Father had been astonished, calling it tremendous talent that I had become an Intermediate swordsman at the age of six, but somewhere in this world there were genius swordsmen even greater than I was.

So complacency was forbidden. It had been the same in my previous life.

"Hyaaaah!"

"Ungh!"

"Just as expected of you, Hajime. You never miss even the briefest opening."

"Soji, your footwork has grown another step faster. You seem to have honed it well."

"Heh. Even so, getting inside is still difficult just because you’re left-handed, Hajime."

"You say that, yet you keep closing the distance."

"Oh, you noticed? Still, with a sword like yours, you’d be invincible even here in Kyoto."

I had gone to Kyoto to repay the kindness I had received at the training hall.

There, with every exchange, the swordsmanship of Okita, whom I had met again, developed at an alarming rate.

Before we sparred, he had been slightly below me... but after we had exchanged only three blows, he caught up with me at once.

He was truly a genius of the sword. Though we were the same age, he was an existence that an ordinary man like me could not even compare to.

If I had not been left-handed, I surely could never have matched Soji’s skill. His swordsmanship was that extraordinary.

There must be geniuses like that in this world as well. Therefore, my only option is to learn and grow faster than anyone else.

As a warrior, crossing blades was only natural. And this was a world filled with swordsmen like Father.

To reach the ultimate heights as a magic swordsman in such a world, rapid growth was indispensable.

"Whew."

Enough stray thoughts. Right now, I needed to focus on the boulder before me.

Once I had been recognized as an Intermediate swordsman, Father gave me an assignment.

"Lumi, your swordsmanship is now Intermediate. But skill alone will not make you an Advanced swordsman. There is a wall of sorts between Intermediate and Advanced. Most ordinary royal knights are Intermediate swordsmen. The captains who lead knight orders are Advanced. Beyond that, generals possess Saint-tier skill or higher."

"Then why aren’t you a knight captain, Father? Why are you a low-ranking knight assigned to a rural place like this?"

"In my case, there are various circumstances. In any event, that isn’t what I wanted to talk about. I’ll tell you about that later. From Intermediate onward, there is nothing more I can teach you about swordsmanship. So I will give you an assignment to become an Advanced swordsman."

"...An assignment?"

"From now on, cut this thick boulder with a real sword."

That was the assignment Father gave me to become an Advanced swordsman, and his final lesson.

The forms of the Sword God Style and Water God Style were free of needless movements.

However, Father said that from the Advanced rank onward, one had to be capable of performing secret techniques beyond mere forms.

I asked what those secret techniques were, but Father only kept repeating that I would understand when I could cut the boulder.

Well, whenever I failed at the assignment, he did offer advice, but...

"That’s not it! There, it should be whoosh! instead of fwoosh!"

I only came to realize anew that Father had no talent for explaining things in words.

◆◇◆

I steadied my breathing and tightened my grip on the sword.

Beginning with my ring finger, then my middle finger, index finger, and thumb, I gripped the hilt as though wringing out a rag.

Wielding the sword took but an instant. At the fleeting moment after I had completely exhaled, I held my breath and swung it horizontally.

"Hah!"

It was the finest strike I had managed so far. Yet the result was the worst possible.

With a claaang!, the sword I had swung snapped in two.

Meanwhile, the boulder had received only the tiniest scratch.

"...Oh no."

The broken blade spun through the air before sticking into the ground.

Small fragments fell in a shower from the sword in my hand, which now had only half its blade remaining.

The sword I received as a birthday gift broke.

The real sword Father had given me for my fifth birthday had broken.

What was I going to do? I felt guilty for breaking a gift, but how was I supposed to train from now on?

Unlike Rudy hiding Roxy’s panties, this was not something I could conceal.

With a deep sigh, I gripped the back of the blade and pulled the broken piece from the ground. Then I went into the house, showed Father the broken sword, and bowed my head.

"Father, I’m truly sorry. I broke the sword while training."

"The sword? Lumi, you aren’t hurt, are you?"

"No, I’m not hurt. But the sword I received for my birthday—"

"It’s all right. The important thing is that you aren’t hurt."

Father laughed more heartily than I expected and patted my back.

"If a sword breaks, you simply fix it. There’s a blacksmith in the village, so it can be repaired."

"...I see."

"Go to the blacksmith to have it repaired, and take a stroll outside while you’re at it."

At Father’s words, Mother nodded and spoke up as well.

"Your father’s right. Unlike Rudy, you’ve hardly ever gone out, aside from when you took the test with Roxy. Take this chance to go outside and play for a while."

"But dinner and tending the garden..."

"Those are your mother’s and Lilia’s jobs! Lumi, act like a child and get some fresh air!"

My peaceful life consisted of training with the sword, tending the garden, and helping Mother and Lilia with their work.

I did not want the idyllic rhythm of that life disrupted, so I tried to decline... but Mother flared up red-faced like Mrs. Ete.

"But..."

"You’re taking a rest for the time being! Otherwise, I won’t teach you swordsmanship or cooking anymore! Isn’t that right, dear?"

"Huh? Y-yes. That’s right. Lumi, do as your mother says. Rest is important sometimes too."

Unable to withstand Father and Mother’s persuasion, I reluctantly nodded, and before I knew it, I had been granted a period of rest that included going out.

◆◇◆

The outside of the house, which I was visiting for the first time since going out with Roxy, was still filled with golden barley fields.

I walked down the road with the broken sword strapped to my back.

Each time I walked along those unexpectedly quiet, peaceful country roads brimming with leisurely calm, my heart felt warm.

I lightly bowed and exchanged greetings with the people I met along the way.

"...Hello."

"Yes, what a lovely afternoon. Let’s see now... so you’re..."

"My name is Lumius Greyrat."

"Ah! You’re Paul’s child. Come to think of it, I spoke with the older one this morning, so you must be the younger sibling."

"...Yes."

"What a pretty young lady you are. When you grow up, the men will be lining up for you."

"...Excuse me, but I am a boy."

"Now, now. You shouldn’t joke around with adults."

"...That isn’t it."

"Well then, goodbye."

Every adult I encountered while greeting them returned my greetings with a gentle expression.

It would have been nice if they did not mistake me for a girl.

Was growing my hair long really the problem?

It seemed they mistook me for a girl because my hair was long.

"I’m beginning to want to cut my hair."

I wanted to cut my hair short, as I had worn it in my previous life.

But Father and Mother adamantly opposed it and stopped me, so I could not cut my hair as I pleased.

Father and Mother had said...

"What, you want to cut your hair?!"

"No! Absolutely not! Lumi, your hair is so soft! How could you want to cut something so precious?!"

"But I believe my hair is why everyone mistakes me for a girl."

"It has absolutely nothing to do with your hair! Isn’t that right, dear?"

"Lumi, look. Your father ties his hair long too, doesn’t he? It has nothing to do with your hair. But your hair... Your hair is the one thing even I cannot possibly yield on."

They had opposed it desperately.

Could this world perhaps have some custom of wearing topknots, like the Edo period?

It did not seem that way when I looked at the people I encountered outside, though...

"Hmm. What on earth is the problem, then?"

I was walking toward the blacksmith, lost in my thoughts for the first time in a long while, when it happened.

"You horned freak!"

"How many times do we have to tell you? This is where we play!!"

"A monster like you shouldn’t play in the village!"

I stopped and turned my head at the harsh voices of children carried to my ears on the wind.

A group of children were hurling abuse at someone.

Curious about what was happening, I walked toward the voices. Near a small stream, a group of children were throwing pebbles at a girl.

"That demon girl hangs around with the knight’s son, so nobody can bully her!"

"So you’ll take her place!"

"S-stop it..."

"What do you mean, ‘stop it’? You have horns, so you’re a demon too!"

"Yay! I hit her! I hit her!"

Surrounding the girl, they mercilessly threw stones and laughed.

Just as the children said, the girl had horns growing from either side of her forehead.

But something else unusual besides her horns also drew my attention to her.

That is... a kimono?

Yes. The black clothing the girl was wearing.

Though it was covered in mud, it had cherry blossom embroidery, a white obiage and obi cinching her waist—

And even long sleeves... It was unmistakably a furisode, one type of kimono.

Why does traditional Japanese clothing exist in this world?

My mind filled with questions, but what mattered immediately was saving the girl before me.

As a warrior, I could not see such a scene and simply walk past it.

I immediately strode toward the children, shouting in a loud voice.

"Stop that!"

At my shout, the children stopped throwing stones and turned their eyes toward me.

Among them, a black-haired boy with a mischievous look met my eyes, flushed red, and dropped the stone in his hand.

"Y-you...! Lumi?!"

"What is it, Somal?"

"You know her?"

"Th-that’s... the younger sibling from the knight’s family."

Somal, the leader of the group, briefly introduced me to the other children.

Then the children opened their mouths, looking at me as if I were ridiculous.

"Huh? A knight’s child is taking a demon’s side?"

"You’re as nosy as your brother."

"D-don’t interfere, girl! Otherwise, we’ll throw stones at you too!"

They condemned me as though they were in the right.

Demons were always bad. That was what those children believed.

I listened to their accusations, but they were so pathetic that I was at a loss for words.

There was an answer so obvious that conversation was not even necessary.

There was no reason to look at someone through prejudiced eyes and bully them simply because they were a demon.

And above all... even a passing dog would know that three boys surrounding and tormenting a girl was cowardly.

Most importantly, those children were under a grave misconception.

"Hmph. Think whatever you like. But there is one thing you are mistaken about, so I will tell you."

"W-what is it?"

"I am a boy. I am not a girl, so it is perfectly fine for me to interfere."

At that moment, Somal, who stood at the center of the children, screamed loud enough to shatter eardrums.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"S-Somal?"

"What’s wrong with you?"

"N-no way! That can’t be true! You... you’re only saying that because you want to help the horned girl, aren’t you?"

"What nonsense have you been spouting this whole time, Somal? I am clearly a boy. Didn’t you hear it from your mother? She said Paul’s twins were ‘sons.’"

"..."

After listening to every word I said, Somal’s body trembled, and he began to sob.

"It’s a lie... That’s...! It’s a liiiiiie!"

"W-wait!"

"Come on, Somal!"

Muttering strange things to himself, Somal threw a wooden hairpin—the kind girls might use—at me and fled.

When their leader Somal ran away, the children of his gang began fleeing too, without knowing why.

The three children vanished beyond the fields like arrows.

I had no idea what had happened, but the situation ended absurdly easily.

"Are you all right?"

Now that things had been settled, I held out my hand to the girl who had been struck by the stones and spoke to her.

At that moment—

"You damned bastard!"

A shrill voice rang out thunderously from behind me.

I turned around at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps...

"Take this! Karen Kiiik!"

"Cough?!"

Before I had any chance to react, a kick drove straight into my abdomen.

The one who had kicked me was a girl with hair reminiscent of pure white snow.

Struck by the attack of that fierce-looking girl, I went flying straight into the stream with a splash.

"You bastard! I told you not to bully my little sister! Karin, are you okay?"

"S-sis... That’s not it. He... he saved me."

"Whaaaaat?!"

Apparently the white-haired girl was the older sister of the child who had been bullied. Upon hearing her little sister’s words, she ran over to me, bowed her head, and apologized repeatedly.

"I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! I thought you were bullying my sister, so I just...! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!"

I was rendered speechless as I watched the girl say sorry over and over at the speed of a passing train.

Comments (0)

Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register