An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Swords Saint: I Was Just a Rural Sword Teacher, But My Successful Students Won’t Leave Me Alone! - Chapter 42

42 - The Old Man From The Countryside Has A Reunion

“Well then, we’ll be taking care of this from here on out.”

“Yeah, I leave it to all of you,” I said.

It was after the day’s training.

I had delivered the pendant I picked up to a place near the Knight’s training grounds, next to the entrance of the HQ.

Apparently, it’s a department that integrates building security and is the contact point for inquiries from the general public. There were several knights dressed in relatively rough clothes, but they all straightened up as soon as I came in.

No, don’t be so nervous. I’m just here to deliver a lost item.

The training is going well, including those manning the lost and found.

Of course, their techniques won’t dramatically improve in a short amount of time but it seems I’m still able to teach them some things, and I think I’m having a fulfilling time. Henblitz is definitely getting sharper and sharper.

On the other hand, I feel I’ve reached a plateau at this point.

Even then, I’m proud I’ve had more than my fair share of training since childhood. Still, I couldn’t be a hero or a notable warrior or anything like that.

There’s also a limit at my age. My father is still fine but I’m still trying to just maintain my status quo as a swordsman.

You could say that I was already pretty successful after being made the Special Instructor to the Knights of Revelio, from the master of a swordsmanship dojo.

I can’t hope for more. This position itself is nothing more than the result of Alexia’s incomprehensible aggressiveness.

“Now then… let’s go home.”

There’s nothing good about soaking in sentiment right now.

I did what I was supposed to do, so why not head back to the inn and relax?

Oh, right:

I’ve been using this inn since I came to Baltrain but I’ve been thinking it would be better to find a proper house in the capital, so when I have free time like this, I’ve been looking around for property.

However, and inevitably, a place like the Central District where various conveniences and luxuries are guaranteed for the most part will have very expensive real estate, won’t it? My savings are good but I can’t afford anything.

The Knights are paying me, so I don’t have to move right now. I should think about moving if I could save up enough money someday but honestly, I’ve no idea how to do so from so many angles.

Well, I’m not in a rush here and I’m just looking around to see if there’s some good property. And right now I’m getting along well with the inn’s owner.

However, it is also true that I’m being taken care of, they’re also a business, so to speak. It’s not a bad place to leave so I feel a little reluctant to leave, but considering that I might live in Baltrain for the rest of my life, it’s not a bad idea to have a permanent base.

No, now that I thought about all this, if I find a bride, I should be able to go back to my parent’s house… but that’s totally fruitless, so it’s a mistake to expect that.

“What is my father expecting from me now…?” I muttered.

It was inevitable.

No, what was he really thinking about when he kicked me out? At that time, I was swept along by the momentum, but is there really anything wrong with me? I’m getting more and more dissatisfied.

That said, I’m not as dissatisfied with my life as it is now. For some reason, the air that’s so different from the dojo is refreshing and I don’t feel bad about my teaching job.

While I pondered all that, I walk on the roads of the Central District.

The sun is still high and here in Baltrain, there’s a not-insignificant amount of people out on the streets. There’s a variety of stores and the scene’s more than lively enough.

On that note: as the name implied, the Kingdom of Revelio is a monarchy.

It’s said that the First King, Spikino Asphord Rebelis, founded this kingdom on the northern edge of the Galea continent. I’m not that familiar with history but I was taught the name of the First King as part of my general education.

The state has got plenty of fertile lands and agriculture is flourishing. Even here, in the capital city of Baltrain, the entire Southern District is an agricultural zone.

There are few forests and there are many mountains and plains, so there’s a wide variety of native species, and because it faces the sea, the bounties of the ocean are also great. In a word, you could say it’s “blessed” as a country.

That’s why even in a rural place like Bidden Village, there are few famines and poor harvests, and with the exceptions of wild animal and monster attacks, I was able to live a fairly peaceful life.

However, as with any country, the reality is that not everyone gets a share of that bounty.

Even though they were none in Bidden Village, there were those that fell through the cracks of the nation’s safety nets.

To put it simply, they’re bandits, brigands, rogues, and the like.

Even in the capital, there’s a certain number of them, though they don’t often appear blatantly in public. Yesterday’s pickpocket was exactly like them.

Rumor has it that there are some areas where those criminal elements hang out. I’d like to think it’s not here in the Central District but they do seem to pop up everywhere.

“… Hmm?”

It was while I was walking and reflecting on this country.

I saw someone crawling at the end of the street, moving slowly and staring at the ground.

I don’t think they’re a beggar.

People on the road seemed to find it unusual but they pass by without doing anything special.

“No… no…! Where did I drop it…?!”

As I get closer, I can hear the person whispering.

They crawl along the ground without even caring about the stares from her surroundings.

I can’t make out their face but their upper body is covered in a tattered robe. To say the least, that was rather an unsuitable outfit for the streets of Baltrain.

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Well, I can ignore them like the passersby are doing.

Then I realize the voice and the clothes were the same as the pickpocket that tried to target me last night.

“… Are you looking for something?” I asked.

“Shut up!” she yelled. “It’s not like you can… help…?!”

Just in case, I put a bit of distance between us before I called out, this is what I got in reply. Perhaps this was what she had ready for anyone that asked, except for me.

The face whipped back to me, saw my face, and her expression pretty blatantly said, “Oh, crap.”

Ho-hoo.

So far as I could see from the reaction, I wonder if she could see my face last night. Well, even though it was dark then, it wasn’t without light. She should have been paying more attention to me than I was so I wouldn’t be surprised if she recognized me.

I see her facial features were tight, her expression distressed as if she was in a panic.

Her dull blue hair peeked out slightly from her robe. She was probably in her mid-teens but probably older than that. She looked at least younger than Kuruni and Thyssel.

“… Why are you… what do you want…?” she spat bluntly, after fixing her front.

I think she might have been betting on the fact that I wouldn’t remember what happened yesterday. She may be talking to me like a kind old soul that called out to her and was willing to help.

“By any chance, are you looking for a pendant?” I asked.

“… Bastard…!”

However, that’s not the case, is it?

The girl before me angrily narrowed her eyes at me.