Episode 67: Exploration, Execution, and…
—
After leaving Jinor’s mansion, I immediately went home.
The reason I asked for a week was solely because of something that happened during the ‘regular meeting’ recently.
“An auspicious aura is felt from the territory of Valhart. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to explore the castle and the territory.”
“My intellect of 100 deemed that opinion to be the most appropriate.”
The person who proposed that idea was Jinor.
However, the monarch, Yuri, supported Emma instead of Jinor.
Probably busy with war preparations by now.
Then?
It was simple for me, who had received no tasks, to quickly search the territory in the meantime.
Probably to discover talent or treasure. One of the two.
What I aimed for was the treasure.
Though there were treasures of little use, definitely, treasures that were of help also existed.
In the case of discovering talent, it could end up being a good deed done unnecessarily for the Aeshers army-
Considering B, C grade commanders are treated as ‘talent’ because they are hidden in the wilderness, it wasn’t too disappointing.
Someday, when I leave this place, it would just be a matter of considering it as doing good deeds before leaving.
With that, for the first time since Zelant Castle, I conducted a surrounding search.
And, not long after starting, I realized-
“Haah, haah…”
My lack of strength was absurd.
Right. Even at Zelant Castle, the first task I was assigned was exploration.
I had been panting without walking much then.
“No progress…”
I sat down somewhere suitable, drinking water and thinking.
At least, the harvest was, perhaps I could walk a bit longer than before.
Though it wasn’t visible, it seemed my stamina had improved compared to before.
Come to think of it, there was a time when Luna carried me when we first met.
Despite her appearance, I remember she was quite strong.
Even though I was a weak adult male, she carried me and traversed the long distance effortlessly.
To me, those times felt like a distant memory already.
“I wonder if she’s doing well.”
While thinking of the past and taking a short rest at that moment.
A crying girl caught my eye.
“Hmm…?”
If a child is crying, it’s only right as an adult to go and ask about the situation.
I got up from the rock I was sitting on and approached the girl.
And…
*
“Thank you very much, Swen… Really, truly thank you.”
“Not at all. I just did what I ought to do.”
I said to the woman who kept thanking me, gesturing that it was okay.
A crying girl.
The story of how this girl came alone to this faraway Valhart Castle from her village she lived in.
The plot of the bandits lurking around, and her father who set out alone to destroy that plot.
The girl, worried about her father, followed alone, and through the keywords obtained in the process of helping her, finding her mother…
“It was an epic that couldn’t be more epic.”
It was so epic that it was regrettable that I couldn’t describe everything.
“Brother, thank you so much…!”
I patted the thanking child’s head and said.
“It’s fortunate we found your mother before it got dark. From now on, don’t recklessly involve yourself in such dangerous matters. Got it?”
“Yes!”
“…Your father’s wounds will heal soon and he will be sent back to the village. As for the bandits, I will personally suggest to the monarch for their extermination, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
“Truly, truly thank you. We will never forget the grace of Swen and Aeshers.”
This will improve the reputation of the Aeshers army.
Regardless of the reason, since they took in me and Airen, it was okay to repay them this much.
“Ah, right. This…”
I received an item handed over by the child’s mother.
“What’s this…?”
“It’s a treasured sword passed down through our family. Originally, it was meant to be handed over to the child’s father, but as mentioned, it would be better for him to return to the village… We thought Swen would make better use of it than us.”
I accepted it.
Something long and heavy was wrapped in something like a cloth.
“Was this Jinor’s prediction.”
As expected, somehow I succeeded in obtaining an item.
In games, just pressing the ‘search’ button would yield an item found, with no understanding of how it actually happened, but it seemed to feel somewhat like this.
“I will gratefully accept it.”
“Then, we’ll take our leave first. We will never forget today’s kindness and consideration for our husband. Truly, thank you…!”
“See you again, brother!”
After parting with them.
Only then did I unwrap the cloth to check the item.
“This is…!”
A slender rapier with a distinctive green handle.
No doubt, it was one of the treasures, the “Rapier of the Green Forest.”
Its stats weren’t particularly good, but it was described as being extremely stylish to look at.
More of a treasure than a sword, when I obtained this item in the game, I used it as a gift for favorability work.
If it were a good sword, I might have gifted it to Airen… but it seemed hardly useful for actual combat at first glance.
Nevertheless,
“It’s stylish.”
It didn’t strike me when I saw it as an icon, but seeing the actual item, it couldn’t be more stylish.
I held the sword and lightly thrust it forward a few times.
Even I, with my lack of strength, could handle it without much difficulty.
Considering this, it might be a feeble attack in actual combat, but it was unmatched as a decorative weapon to wear at the waist.
“Right. As a strategist, it’s proper to carry at least one impressive weapon.”
After wearing the rapier at my waist, it felt like I had become something significant.
It might sound funny, but “how I appear to others” is the most powerful weapon for me, who can only make predictions.
The only way to safely preserve my life is “how impressively I appear.”
“Good. Now, let’s go back.”
Let’s go home, finish the mission, and have tea with Airen who will be returning.
Just having someone at home gives such a sense of belonging, I thought anew.
*
Time passed.
The first day of training with Reika.
“Now. Focus and feel the sounds of nature. Cast off your worldly thoughts, until you feel ‘I am not myself’… Slowly, not hurriedly… Good.”
We meditated all day long.
After meditation, we lay down looking at the sky, spending our time fruitfully by tracking how far the clouds went.
And the next day.
“Should I hit this…?”
“Yes. By making sound, mana floating in the air gathers. There might be no effect now, but if you continue training, you will definitely sense its effect.”
We beat the drum together.
Having nothing much to do anyway, beating the drum was quite helpful in killing time.
Afterward, we both lightly conducted a beep test.
She couldn’t do many and collapsed… I too exhausted all my stamina and collapsed.
When I explored recently, I thought maybe my stamina
had improved a bit, so I tried this exercise thinking it might help me somehow during this meaningless training, but it was too hard to endure.
I might benefit from enduring it, but this frail body couldn’t withstand such tough exercise.
The next day and the day after were similar.
We were together doing actions that seemed very impressive but were utterly pointless.
“Go! Punch strongly forward! Think ‘I am cutting through mana’!”
“Yes, yes!”
She punched forward.
“Follow me! I!”
“I!”
“Am cutting!”
“Am, am cutting!”
“Through mana!”
“Through, through mana!”
Though what increased was not the ability to sense mana but her stamina.
Well, increasing stamina isn’t a bad thing, is it?
It’s not that I’m shameless, but isn’t it true?
After successfully finishing today’s training.
“Thank you for your hard work today.”
“Oh, no…! You had it tough too, Swen.”
There was no need to be so formal, but it wasn’t unpleasant, so let’s leave it be.
Then, Reika asked me in a very cautious tone.
“Is… is this really okay? Somehow, I… don’t feel the fruits of training… It’s not that I’m blaming Swen, but… that… that is… my, my fault… that… that’s what I mean…”
“Reika. There’s no need to worry.”
In time, she will definitely become stronger.
I spoke with confidence.
“It took me about 5 years to see the effects of training. Reika seems to have much more talent than me, so you’ll see the effects much sooner. Plus, as you continue training… there will be chances to go outside, so there’s no need to rush.”
“Can we really go outside?!”
Excited by my words, Reika suddenly leaned in close to me.
I felt her soft flesh brush against my forearm.
Considering the oversized ones I face daily, this didn’t feel as significant.
Soon, as if she realized she had done something embarrassing, she blushed and stepped back, stuttering.
“Ah, that… sorry. That… that, I mean.”
“I know. You want to go outside, right? I’ll try to persuade Lord Jinor.”
“But… because of me…”
“No. True training must be done in nature. This yard is quite spacious and has some mana, but compared to the vast mana flowing in nature, it’s child’s play. To maximize Reika’s abilities quickly, going outside is correct, so don’t feel too pressured.”
“Is… is that so? If you would do that, thank… thank you…”
Still embarrassed about her earlier action, she struggled to speak.
Seeing her like this felt somewhat cute.
Like looking at a well-behaved younger sister.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Huh? Ah… yes, yes…! I’ll do my best!”
Motivated by the possibility of going outside, she said this and smiled lightly at me.
It was the first natural smile I saw from her since taking care of her in this mansion.
*
That’s how I spent time with Reika doing pointless actions.
After a few days, on a rare day off while resting, Airen, who had been on a mission, returned home earlier than usual.
“Airen? Are you done already?”
I examined Airen’s complexion.
She looked much more serious than usual.
“Swen. The lord has summoned us. We need to go to the royal palace immediately.”
“Did something happen?”
“…Invasion.”
“…!”
Hearing her next words,
I think the first thought that came to my mind was, “It has finally come.”
“Brans’ army is marching with about 50,000 soldiers towards a fortress located west of Valhart Castle.”
