I’ve been training hard lately, so I guess my stamina has improved a bit.
But the problem is that keeping up with the ‘main character’, Leo, or the ‘sword-wielding heroine’, Alice, is no easy feat with just this stamina.
“That’s because you’re pouring your abilities into something like a firearm,” the Sword Saint said, looking quite unimpressed as he watched me.
“Comparing skill with a gun to wielding a sword, of course, swordsmanship requires way better physical abilities. A gun is something you can master with just a few weeks of training, right?”
Hearing that, I seriously considered whether to argue back or not, and ultimately decided to just keep my mouth shut.
After all, I’m the one who sought out the Sword Saint, not the other way around.
Moreover, one of his disciples, Jennifer, learned swordsmanship just enough to go back down and immediately started mixing firearms into her training. To the Sword Saint, firearms must seem like the most unpleasant thing.
“Well, still.”
The Sword Saint said, gazing at me quietly, “Your determination doesn’t seem too bad.”
I’ve been training repeatedly while turning back time. If my stamina is inferior to the other two, then what I could do was find ways to cut corners.
I’m not planning to cheat by pulling any tricks. If I did that, I’d definitely fall out of favor with the Sword Saint.
While climbing the hill, I look for spots to step on by rewinding time. Places that don’t slip when I step, spots that are easy to grab, and ones where I can push with my toes without losing balance, allowing my thighs to exert less strength.
I search for spots with each step, conserving as much stamina as possible as I move forward. Rewinding time didn’t require any extra power from me.
“Wait, have you been here before or something?”
The Sword Saint spoke as if genuinely curious.
It’s a natural assumption. As far as I’m concerned, I’m basically making the optimal route and running by turning back time, but from another’s perspective, it must look like someone who has already been here is moving through the paths.
Even the Sword Saint, who must have trained diligently while living on his own, would have thought so.
“Anyway, you seem like a curious guy. At first, I thought you were just a talentless person having a stroke of luck.”
The Sword Saint squatted down a bit, a little away from where I was sprawled out on the ground, and began to assess me.
“Who did you hear from to find out where I live?”
“…….”
“I first thought you might have heard it from one of my disciples, but you seem like you found it another way. Although I’m hiding, I didn’t actually use anything special.”
As expected of the Sword Saint, he seemed to be somewhat piercing through my identity just like when I was training before.
Given how his lips curled up slightly, I must have succeeded in catching the Sword Saint’s interest.
An enigmatic being suddenly popping up in the midst of a boring routine. That’s how he must see me.
“You, what in the world are you?”
“…….”
I thought seriously about it.
Flashing back to the Sword Saint’s face that told me to ‘come back again’, I pondered. Well, neither he nor I have changed—just met at a different time.
So, should I tell him about that this time? I hesitated and then decided against it.
He might believe me, given his exceptional situational judgment. But…
Ding!
Ding!
If I want to receive information in return, come find me before I kick the bucket. And when you do, I’ll try to guess your identity. I’d prefer you not give me any hints. It’s no fun if the quiz master gives away too many hints.
He said that once.
For some, it might feel like their life has been denied, or everything they’ve done is meaningless, and yet the Sword Saint said something like that.
If the quiz master gives away too many hints, it ruins the fun of getting the answer right.
Moreover, I was also the Sword Saint’s disciple. Recognized directly by him.
So, as his disciple, it wouldn’t be right to take away his amusement.
I propped myself up from the ground and looked toward my ‘master’.
“Do you want to know how I came to know this place, and how I was able to use this training method?”
“Isn’t it only natural for a person to be curious?”
But as he said that, the Sword Saint still wore a slightly enigmatic smile, as if already knowing I wouldn’t share anything.
“It’s a secret.”
But I can’t just spill the beans right here.
For a moment, the Sword Saint’s eyes widened slightly at my words.
Then immediately after, he burst out, Kuhahaha…!
Letting out a short laugh as if he had drunk some bitter but delightful liquor.
“So, is that the case?” he chuckled, looking at me.
“If you want to know my secret, you want me to accompany you to the Imperial Capital? Since you can see from the side what secrets I might hold.”
“That’s not entirely an incorrect assumption.”
I spoke while looking directly into the Sword Saint’s eyes.
“There are plenty of secrets in the Imperial Capital that would be quite delightful once discovered, in addition to the secret of how I manage to operate here.”
“And of course, you have no intention of telling me all those secrets directly.”
“Of course not.”
At my words, the Sword Saint stared at me for a while, a rather sinister smirk still on his face.
“Arrogant brat.”
But at least this time, he didn’t smack my forehead or anything.
*
“Everyone, pack your things.”
The next morning, the Sword Saint said that while we sat around an old small table, eating what looked like rabbit-like beast meat.
“Master?”
Leo, who was seriously devouring his meat, suddenly looked dazed. However, it seemed the Sword Saint didn’t change his mind at the sight of Leo’s expression.
“Everyone, we’ll be going back down after this meal today.”
…Did I push my luck too far?
Did I appear too arrogant and offend the Sword Saint’s sensibilities?
In the original work, the character was boisterous and thought if it was about practicality, it was better to make it intriguing—guess that was not the case.
I was debating whether to rewind to just before that conversation when the Sword Saint continued.
“By the way, Sylvia.”
“Yes.”
Unconcernedly shifting his gaze back to his own bowl, Sword Saint Frederick remarked while popping a piece of meat into his mouth.
“Is there a place in the Imperial Capital where I can stay?”
“…….”
For a moment, I was at a loss for words before I quickly gathered my thoughts. That moment was so brief that, without Alice or the Sword Saint, no one would probably have noticed.
Even so, out of the three people sitting with me, two were indeed involved.
“Of course.”
Just in case, I set aside one of the guest rooms in the Imperial Palace. It wasn’t specifically for the Sword Saint; it was a room I had prepared in case I brought anyone else to the palace.
Finding a separate house would require a bit more time to think slowly about, so for now, it would be best to have him stay there.
Probably, there wouldn’t be many opposing voices even within the palace. The knights would probably be thrilled!
The Sword Saint might not be too fond of it, but I decided not to bring that up intentionally.
“Then I’ll trust you.”
The Sword Saint said that and continued his meal.
Alice and Leo turned their gazes towards me as if they wanted an explanation, but like the Sword Saint, I just focused on my meal.
*
“……Sword Saint?”
The supply ship, having completed its supply, would check its status before heading back to the Imperial Capital.
Normally, we wouldn’t have the luxury of boarding a flying ship. If we had been even one day late, the supply ship would have been flying to the Imperial Capital already.
But the Sword Saint had decided quickly, more hastily than I expected, allowing us to board the supply ship on the return trip.
Leo was the eldest son of the royal family, and the Sword Saint… well, he was the Sword Saint.
So it wasn’t surprising that Jayden was surprised to see the Sword Saint.
Upon hearing that his younger sister was returning to the Imperial Capital, Jayden had rushed over from the front lines, instantly recognizing the old man wearing ragged clothes.
“Are you Jayden? I’ve heard a few stories from Jennifer.”
With his chin resting on his hand, the Sword Saint said that, but Jayden couldn’t even muster a proper response and simply gaped.
Soon, he seemed to realize he had to be here and couldn’t engage in longer conversations with the Sword Saint, his expression quickly dimming.
“I’d like to see your skills since you’re the brother of my disciple.”
Hearing the Sword Saint say that, Jayden quickly turned his head towards Alice and me.
“…….”
For reference, I had decided I wouldn’t converse with Jayden, so I just turned my gaze aside.
Jayden seemed to droop his shoulders once again in disappointment, but what does it matter?
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