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 79

“No… I’d be out of place, that can’t be right,” I said.

For the moment, I kick the idea back to Alexia. Who would want to be in a situation like that? Even if I did, it would be fine by me to be stuck guarding the back.

“Even so, I have here an appointment letter with the King’s Royal Seal,” Alexia said, showing it off.

“Mm…” I moaned, feeling a little sick.

Yes, I’m not a knight because I haven’t been appointed, but I’m also a royalty-approved instructor. That is clear from Alexia’s recommendation of me, which she showed on the day I reunited with her at Bidden Village.

I don’t feel like asking the King directly about his true intentions, nor could I do it, but as long as I’m officially appointed by the most powerful man in this country, I have no standing to refuse him if he says that I should at least greet the delegation.

“It’s a good opportunity to spread the name of Sir Beryl to other countries!” Henblitz said.

“Hey, hey, that’s too arrogant,” I said, trying to wave him down.

I look around and it seems the other knights who were training with us had almost the same eyes as Henblitz.

Huh, what? Are you all for this?

No, I’m certainly grateful rather than being called out for it, but I’m an old man. It’s hard for me to be introduced to such a lofty world.

“I don’t think you like to be in the limelight so much, Master, but… I hope you understand it as one of the roles of the Special Instructor,” Alexia said.

“… So it was something like that, huh…?” I asked.

Now, I get the vague sense that I am no longer just a citizen.

To begin with, I got this position because Alexia recommended me, but if I protest the decision more, it would be a bad look. Another question arises as to whether or not the royal seal of the country can be refused, but I will leave that alone.

As with the Knights of Rebelio, there may be prestige to show off to other countries, maybe. It didn’t look like I could refuse either way.

“Haah…” I sighed, “so then, do I have to greet the Pope?”

If so, it’s better to accept it and get to know the details early, and get my feelings in order. It doesn’t do anything to curse about things so far advanced.

“No,” Alexia said. “Every year, it’s the Royal Family of Supheniardvania who comes to the audience and the tour, you see? The greetings are to them and Knights of the Faith”

“Hmm… I’m not too great with Suphinists, you know?” I asked.

I was wondering if that high-ranking executive would come because it is a theocracy, but it seems that is not the case.

“The highest level of the Suphine Faith is the Pope, but the center of politics is the ecclesiastical parliament, of which the royal family has overseen for generations,” Henblitz explained.

“I see,” I said.

A parliamentary system means that Supheniardvania is not a dictatorship. Well, even in the Kingdom of Rebelis, the top executive is the King, but below him, there is also the noble’s assembly. Is it similar?

“If it comes to that… I wonder if that parliament leader will come,” I said.

“Last year, the First Prince and the Third Princess came,” Alexia said. “It is presumed that this year too, someone close to that position will come.”

“A Prince and Princess, you said…?” I asked, losing my voice.

It’s a story that I couldn’t imagine a little while ago, meeting with royalty, princes, and princesses. I think it’s acceptable to suspect divine mischief because I’m about to be dragged to those lofty stages in such a short period of time.

I wonder if I did something wrong. I should have just taught swordsmanship in the countryside leisurely.

Perhaps I had made the wrong choice since the day I welcomed Alexia as a disciple. I don’t think that’s the case, but I’d like to complain that I’m being driven to the center of the world.

Ah, whatever.

Perhaps even if I’m going to greet them, I’m a Special Instructor, I’ll just end up speaking a word or two. The focus of the mission is not me. It seems better to do it properly and finish it without rudeness.

“In that case, I have to be mindful about my clothes…” I said.

“Surely, you can’t wear your everyday clothes,” Henblitz said. “I don’t believe Sir Beryl even has a set of knight’s armor.”

However, doing so raises another issue.

Of course, when it comes to appearing in front of powerful people, you have to be careful about your appearance. Unfortunately, I don’t have any clothes that can be used on such formal occasions.

To begin with, even when I was introduced as the Special Instructor in front of the Knights, I was still wearing my everyday clothes.

At the time of training, I didn’t really care about it because everyone wears clothes that are easy to move in, but when it comes to formal occasions, it’s a different matter.

“Yeah, I don’t have such fine clothes, I have to buy them somewhere,” I said.

“If so I’d be happy to show you around and even take you to some shops I’ve been eying,” Alexia said rapid-fire. 1In the original Japanese, this was also written entirely without punctuation.[/spoiler]

“Ah, okay,” I said.

Woah, it’s been a while since Alexia seemed so much in a hurry.

Ah, well, having a decent set of clothing isn’t a bad thing. I felt that I needed to be prepared for it, as Miu was to enter the Magician’s Academy even without all this stuff involving Supheniardvania.

However, I haven’t had anything to do with such fancy places until now, so I don’t know what kind of dressing should be done.

Regardless of Alexia’s internal state, who’s getting more and more excited when I looked at her, I feel that relying on her is the correct answer here. I don’t even know the stores that deal with this.

“Well, I’ll take your word for it here,” I said.

“Understood. I will adjust my schedule to make it as soon as possible,” Alexia said.

“Oh, yeah, you don’t have to hurry…?” I said.

Speaking of which, I’ve been walking around the city together with Kuruni, Thyssel, and Lucy since I came to Baltrain, but Alexia has been out since I went to greet the Knights.

Of course, she is also busy, so I thought it would be a bad idea to go out for a walk with me, but it seems that it is not so when I see her reaction.

No, no, it’s too far-fetched for her partner to be such an old man. I don’t feel anything ill towards her, but Alexia is now a great person. Above all else, she is a beautiful woman, no doubt about it.

“By the way, when will the delegation come?”

Next, I ask what’s on my mind.

It’s not going to be the day after tomorrow, so there should be some preparation time. I also have to leave a free schedule before and after that day.

However, in the unlikely event that I have to sacrifice an event involving Miu, I’m afraid that I will give priority to her. I haven’t heard of anything like that so far.

“From today, it’s about a month later,” Alexia said.

“That’s good,” I said. “It would be a problem if I was suddenly told it was tomorrow or next week.”

Hmm, a month later?

The enrollment will be next week, so maybe by that time, I’ll be used to the Academy. It seems that I can handle my clothes situation for a month, and my schedule seems to be able to handle it.

“But… I don’t think I’m used to these kinds of events,” I said.

As I said many times, I am an old man, and my feelings are that I’m a small-time citizen living in the Kingdom of Rebelis. Although my title makes that no longer the case.

If I’m asked if I want to, I definitely don’t. If I were just an outsider, I might have decided to just go on a tour of the place.

“Hm-hmm, there will be more opportunities like that from now on,” Alexia said, smiling.

“I’d like you to go easy on me, if possible…” I said, smiling bitterly in turn.

I’m so tired. Physically, I’m fine, but my spirit is exhausted. I just came to swing my sword.

But, well, this was probably coming sooner or later. Isn’t it better to think positively that the preparation period is so long, for my physical and mental health?

“Hah-hah-haa!” Henblitz roars. “You’ll get used to it in no time. I was nervous at first, too.”

“As Henblitz says, you’ll get used to it,” Alexia said.

“Easy for you to say, huh?” I said.

Not only Alexia, the Knight-Captain, but also Henblitz, the Vice-Captain, seem to be accustomed to such events.

Two people who are far younger than me are far more experienced than me. Somehow they look more dazzling than usual.

“Then, Sir Beryl. Would you like to swing your sword a bit for a distraction?” Henblitz said with a refreshing smile.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” I said.

That kind of attention to detail is one of the reasons why he is such a good man. It’s strange that he has no charm with the ladies. Even looking at him as a straight man, I think he’d be a big hit with women.

Well, there is no point in thinking about it. As I was told, it’s not a bad idea to spar with my sword to improve my mood.

I went to the training ground on the day I took a day off. Let’s fulfill my original purpose.