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 85

“… Your beloved disciple?” Alexia asked.

“Hmm? Rose: do you know him?” Gatoga followed.

They each responded to Rose’s words. However, their reactions seemed to be polar opposites.

The former threw a lethal glare at Rose, and the latter had a half-surprised face. Alexia, your face is terrifying. Smile, smile.

“Umm… well, we did know each other before,” I said.

“Mm-hmm-hmm. This man was my master~,” Rose said.

I tried to prevent them from digging too deep into the topic, but Rose came in again. Stop, damn it.

In response to that remark, Alexia’s unpleasant expression has become even more intense. Scary.

“What do you mean?!” Gatoga cries, visibly shocked. “I knew you were looking for a mentor, but he’s the one?”

“Yes. Mhm-hmm-hmm~!” Rose giggled, smiling like before.

Her right hand still hasn’t let go since we shook hands. I want her to let go.

I mean, Rose, told them about me. I was a little worried about how it was worded, but I wasn’t in the mood to pry about that.

“…… Master?” Alexia asked.

“Aah, no, yeah, I’ll explain, I’ll explain,” I said.

The pressure coming from all sides is ridiculous.

It’s a testament to everyone else being a master that no one is affected by this pressure. I didn’t want to know how good they were in that aspect.

“We-Well, why don’t we sit down first?” I asked.

“… We should,” Alexia said.

It’s not going very well at this rate, but I can’t do it standing, so I urge everyone to sit down. If we sit down, I’ll be physically separated from Rose.

That’s why we need to be seated!

The seats are arranged from one side with me, Alexia, then Henblitz. Gatoga and Rose are on the other side. The anxiety that Rose might sit next to me subsides. This is because Alexia secured the space next to me at a super-speed that lived up to her title.

“Now then, umm… where do we start?”

This should have been the setup for an official meeting or report but in an instant, the center of attention became me. Damn it.

Rose Marbleheart.

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There is no mistake in her calling me her Master. In fact, she used to go to my dojo for a while. She’s also a recent student, unlike Alexia and Selena.

In terms of how long she stayed, it is about a year and a half. I wasn’t sure if she was a Knight of the Faith then, but she did say she traveled around to expand her knowledge.

Even there in the dojo, there was no reason to reject someone who knocked on our doors, so I taught her like the rest. Unlike the amateurs, she clearly knew swordsmanship, so the subject was mainly teaching the difference between my Gardenant Style and hers, and watching others at their lessons.

So, you could say that she was completely satisfied after a little over a year.

However, I don’t remember teaching so many things that she would call me Master. She already had her prior knowledge and I remember she already used her own style, or rather her own way of fighting.

I knew that she was a faithful of Suphine then, but it’s unknown to the world at large that she had been promoted to Vice-Captain of the Knights of the Faith. Ah, well, she was certainly strong, though.

“—And that’s how she stayed at my family dojo for a while.”

“So that’s how it was…” Alexia said, nodding and shooting another glare at Rose.

Rose remained as she was and kept that smile on her face as if it were all easy-breezy while I was explaining.

It’s a simple smile that hasn’t changed from my memories of her, she still hasn’t lost it. I’ve always seen her with this face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rose’s face fall.

In that respect, Alexia is sometimes interesting to watch because her facial expression changes so moderately, though she’s usually so calm. No, it’s not something to be interested in right now.

“It seems you’re an excellent mentor, after all, Sir Beryl,” Henblitz said.

“No, not that much, it was because all of them were such talented students,” I said, hesitant to accept the compliment.

Even though I had some talent for teaching swordsmanship, how far my students go depends on their efforts and talents. I’m just a small jumping-on point. Not everyone can grow up to be a first-class swordsman.

“Hmm,” Gatoga hums, curious. “I haven’t heard of your name as a teacher so far.”

“I was just in the countryside, Sir Raison,” I said.

“Hahaha, it’s fine by me. It’s good to know a lot of people who’re skilled at what they do,” Gatoga said.

It’s just that some of my disciples have gone on to great places, I’m reasonably good at what I do.

However, for someone who looks so intimidating, this guy is a friendly and easy-going person.

“Mm-hmm-hmm, but, I’m happy~,” Rose said. “It may because of the guidance of Great Suphine that I met you like that, Master~.”

“Hahaha…” I chuckle nervously.

The atmosphere of this place is incredibly uncomfortable.

After getting my explanation, Alexia seemed to understand it, but she still seemed to be unconvinced about something.

“By, by the way, did you have a business to attend to, coming all the way here?” I asked, looking at Gatoga.

Yes. There must be a reason for the No. 1 and 2 of the Knights of the Faith to make a personal visit. I don’t think Gatoga came to bring Rose and me together again. To begin with, I didn’t even know she was in such a position.

“Oops, that’s right,” Gatoga said. “All that being said, though, this was kind of just a side trip for us.”

“Is that so, Sir?” Alexia asked.

So, their purpose is not to come to greet the Knights of Rebelio. Then what did they come to do?

“The delegation’s visit is near. Rose didn’t know much about Baltrain, so I’m showing her around,” Gatoga said.

“So that’s it,” I said.

“Yes,” Rose said. “I only know that it’s a large and lovely city~.”

I don’t know what the security and arrangements will be on the day itself, but I’d still be a little worried about moving around a city I don’t know at all.

Above all, it is the escort of the top executives. Did they want to reduce the anxiety factor as much as possible?

“We’re planning to stay for a few days and get a lay of the land,” Gatoga said.

“In that case, why don’t we have some Knights guide you?” Alexia asked.

“Ahh no, we’re not up for that,” Gatoga said. “The Bishop here was supposed to do that.”

Well, Baltrain also has a variety of tourist attractions and restaurants, so it’s a great place to kill time. No, I know it’s not about killing time. It would be more glamorous than just wandering around in the middle of nowhere.

But that Bishop of Suphine here in Rebelis, surely it had to be Lebios? Maybe he’s still in the position of bishop? No way, he wasn’t acquitted.

Hmmm, but I don’t want to ask that here. I feel like something is wrong.

So, silence is good here. When I have time, I’ll ask Lucy or Ibroix about the story.

“I wanted Master to guide me because it sounded like a good idea~,” Rose said, blatantly looking at me.

“Hahaha…” I chuckle nervously.

“…”

I tried to deflect it, but Alexia’s pressure is back on Rose, this is bad. And terrifying.

They’d consider me as a tour guide, but I’m not familiar with the geography of Baltrain, to begin with. I’ve come to understand the important places in the Central District, but I’ve got no idea about the rest. I only know that the royal palace is in the North District, and I can’t even navigate by myself.

“Oh, right,” Gatoga said. “This time, it will be His Highness, the First Prince, making the visit. You’ll receive an official letter at a later date. A pleasure to be working with you.”

“Yes, understood,” Alexia said.

So it’ll be the First Prince? I’ve never met royalty or aristocrats, but I wondered if they were shining examples, I could only make a mediocre impression.

Anyway, it will be Alexia, Henblitz, Gatoga, and Rose personally seeing to the royals’ security. I wish I had shrunk to the extent that I wouldn’t be rude, sitting in the corner.

“Well then, sorry to have bothered you,” Gatoga said as he and Rose stood up. “It was good to see you for the first time in a while.”

“Yes, we as well,” Alexia said. “We’ll see you again soon.”

Since their purpose wasn’t to indulge and catch up, I think it’s good they weren’t staying too long. This visit was unplanned, so the Knights’ training has been interrupted.

“Mhm-hm-hmm. Well then, Master, see you someday~,” Rose said.

“Yeah. You too, Rose,” I said.

With her being the Vice-Captain of the Knights of the Faith, we’ll meet her again when the delegation visits. Hence, the greetings here were extremely simple.

“Henblitz, see them off,” Alexia said.

“Ma’am,” Henblitz said.

“Oh, sorry to bother you,” I said.

The three of them left the room, leaving just me and Alexia.

“Master,” Alexia said.

“Yeah? What?” I asked.

Now then, when we were about to return to the training grounds ourselves, Alexia spoke up.

“What did she mean by ‘beloved disciple’?” Alexia asked.

“Huh…?”

Is she still hung up on that?

“Well, that’s just what Rose says,” I said.

“… I see,” Alexia said.

For the moment, I’ve never called Rose one of my disciples.

Yes, she did stay for a year and a half, but she wasn’t one of my students who had learned swordsmanship from the ground up by my instruction, which I think is an important distinction. But then, if you ask if Rose was my best disciple, however, it’s a difficult problem all over again.

I’m trying to convey that, but I feel like Alexia is in a bad mood. She’s had a disturbing atmosphere for a while, but now, hmm. What should I do here?

“… It’s hard for me to rank my disciples,” I said. “Isn’t it hard for you to rank the Knights?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Alexia said.

This is my true intention. Everyone is important and all are my beloved disciples.

For example, Alexia, Selena, Kuruni, and Thyssel. Even if I was told to put an order on these four people, I couldn’t.

“But, that’s the thing. If you ask me, you are one of my most beloved disciples, Alexia.”

“… I see,” Alexia said.

So, if I may dare to say it, everyone would be my beloved disciples.

Perhaps she was convinced, Alexia had a soft smile different from the previous one.

Well, a smile suits a beautiful woman. Everyone wants a woman to smile at them.

“Then, let’s go back to the training ground.”

“Yes, let’s,” Alexia said.

By the way, although there was an unexpected visit, our main roles are to be instructors.

Let’s sweat out the training of the Knights again today.