Chapter 67

* * *

After leaving Jinoru’s manor, I immediately returned home.

The reason I asked for a week’s time was only one—because of an event that had happened not too long ago during the ‘regular meeting.’

“An auspicious aura is emanating from Falahart’s territory. Exploring the castle and its surroundings wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

‘My Divinity 100 brain deemed this suggestion the most reasonable at the time.’

The person who made this suggestion was Jinoru. However, our monarch Yuri sided with Emma instead of Jinoru. She must be busy preparing for war right about now.

So then? If I, who hadn’t been given any particular mission, quickly scouted the territory in the meantime, it would be fine. Perhaps I’d discover some talent or treasure—likely one of the two. My target was the treasure. While there were useless treasures, there were also ones that were genuinely helpful.

Even if I found talent, there was always the possibility that I’d end up doing something good for Aishias Army myself. But considering even B- or C-grade commanders are considered “talent” because they’re buried in obscurity, it wasn’t all that regrettable. Besides, I planned to leave this place eventually, so doing a few good deeds before I go wouldn’t hurt.

Thus, for the first time since Jeilrant Castle, I conducted reconnaissance around the area.

And not long after starting, I realized…

“Huff… huff…”

How absurdly low my physical capabilities were.

Yeah. At Jeilrant Castle, my first mission had been reconnaissance as well. Back then, I got exhausted after walking just a little.

‘No progress whatsoever…’

Sitting down somewhere convenient, I thought while quenching my thirst. On the bright side, I could walk a bit longer than before, which might count as progress, though it wasn’t visible.

Speaking of which, there was a time when Luna carried me on her back. Despite appearances, she was incredibly strong. Even carrying an adult male like me over such a long distance without breaking a sweat speaks volumes.

That era feels like ancient history now.

‘I hope she’s doing well.’

I was reminiscing about the past when…

At that moment, I saw a crying young girl.

“Huh…?”

When a child is crying, isn’t it the duty of an adult to inquire about the situation? Rising from the rock where I sat, I approached her.

And…

*

“Thank you so much, Sir Swoen… really, truly, thank you!”

“Not at all. I merely did what was expected of me.”

I waved my hand dismissively while speaking to the woman repeatedly thanking me.

A weeping young girl. Her story of coming alone to this distant Falaharte Castle from her village. The conspiracy of bandits lurking nearby and the lone father who sought to dismantle it. The worried daughter who followed him secretly and the keywords obtained through helping her, leading to finding her mother…

‘This is nothing short of an epic tale.’

It was so grandiose that it almost felt wrong to recount every detail.

“Big brother, thank you so much!”

I patted the head of the girl expressing her gratitude.

“You’re lucky we found your mom before it got dark. From now on, don’t recklessly involve yourself in dangerous situations. Got it?”

“Yes!”

“…I’ll arrange for your father’s wounds to be treated and send him back to the village soon. As for the bandits, I’ll personally consult with our Monarch to ensure their eradication, so please don’t worry too much.”

“Truly, thank you. Neither Sir Swoen nor Lady Aishias will ever be forgotten.”

This would improve Aishias Army’s reputation. For whatever reason, since we owe them for taking us in, this much should be fine.

“Ah, right. This…”

I accepted the item handed to me by the girl’s mother.

“What is this…?”

“It’s a family heirloom sword. Originally meant for my husband, but as you said, it’s better for him to return to the village sooner rather than later… We believe you, Sir Swoen, can put it to better use.”

I took it. Wrapped in cloth was something long and heavy.

‘Was this Jinoru’s prediction?’

As expected, I managed to obtain an item somehow. In games, pressing the ‘search’ button simply reveals items, but now I understand how things work here—it goes something like this.

“Thank you kindly; I’ll take good care of it.”

“Yes, then we shall take our leave. Your kindness today and concern for our husband will never be forgotten. Thank you so much!”

“See you again, big brother!”

After parting ways with them, I finally unwrapped the bundle to inspect the item.

‘This is…!’

A slender rapier with a distinctive green handle. No doubt about it. This was undoubtedly one of the treasures, the “Rapier of the Green Forest.” Its stats weren’t great, but it looked incredibly stylish—a decorative blade more than anything else. When I obtained it in the game, I remember using it mainly as a gift to boost affection levels.

If it were a good sword, I would have gifted it to Iren, but judging by its appearance, it didn’t seem very practical for actual combat.

Still…

‘Cool.’

While it didn’t impress me much as an icon in the game, seeing the real thing left me awestruck.

I lightly swung the rapier a few times. Even someone as weak as me could wield it effortlessly. Though in practice, it’d likely result in feeble attacks, it was perfect as an ornamental accessory.

‘A strategist should carry a decent weapon.’

Strapping the rapier to my waist gave me a sense of accomplishment. Although it might sound silly, projecting a certain image is crucial for someone whose only strength lies in predicting others’ perceptions. Safeguarding my life hinges on how convincing I appear.

‘Alright. Time to head back.’

Let’s return home and enjoy tea together upon Iren’s return from her mission. Just knowing someone is waiting makes you feel a sense of belonging. That realization struck me once again.

*

Time passed.

On the first day of Reika’s training session…

“Focus and listen to the sounds of nature. Shed your worries until you feel as if you’re no longer yourself… Slowly, don’t rush… Good.”

We spent the entire day meditating. Afterward, we lay down and observed how far the clouds drifted across the sky, spending our time meaningfully.

And the next day…

“Um… do I just hit this drum?”

“That’s correct. By making noise, floating mana will gather. You may not see results immediately, but with continued practice, you’ll definitely notice its effects.”

Together, we beat the drum. It helped pass the time since we had nothing else to do anyway.

Later, we performed a light push-up test. She collapsed after a few reps… and so did I, completely drained. Though I thought my endurance had slightly improved from the recent scouting mission, this exercise was purely for my benefit since the training itself seemed pointless. Attempting to persevere might help, but for someone as frail as me, it was utterly exhausting.

The following days were similar.

“Come on! Throw a strong punch forward! Imagine you’re slicing through mana!”

“Yes, yes!”

“Now follow me! I…”

“I…”

“Am…”

“Am…”

“Cutting through mana!”

“Cu-cutting through manaaaaaa…!”

Her increasing stamina—not her ability to sense mana—was evident. But hey, more stamina isn’t bad, right?

Anyway, after today’s training concluded…

“Today’s effort is greatly appreciated.”

“No, no… Sir Swoen has worked hard as well.”

Though unnecessary, the honorific sounded pleasant, so let’s leave it be. At that moment, Reika hesitantly asked me:

“Um… Is this really okay? I mean… I don’t feel any fruits of our training… Not blaming you, sir, but… um… maybe it’s my fault…?”

“Miss Reika, there’s no need to worry.”

In time, she will surely grow stronger. I stated confidently,

“It took me approximately five years to notice the effects of meditation. Miss Reika appears far more talented than I was, so you’ll likely see results sooner. Moreover, opportunities to venture outside will arise during training, so there’s no need to rush.”

“Wait… Can we go outside?”

Reika excitedly leaned closer toward me. I could feel her soft flesh brushing against my arm. Pretty sizable… though daily exposure to something out of standard makes it less noticeable.

Realizing her impropriety, she blushed and pulled away, saying,

“A-ah… Excuse me… I-I…”

“I understand. You wish to go outside, don’t you? I’ll try to persuade Master Jinoru.”

“B-but… Because of me…”

“No. True meditation requires nature. This courtyard is vast and contains sufficient mana, but compared to the vast flow of mana in the wild, it’s child’s play. Going outside will expedite Miss Reika’s growth, so there’s no need to feel burdened.”

“Is… is that so? If you insist… T-thank you…”

She still seemed flustered, remembering her earlier enthusiasm.

Seeing her like this, she appeared quite cute. Like having a younger sister who obediently follows along.

“Please continue to rely on me.”

“Wha… Ah… Yes, yes! I’ll work hard!”

Perhaps inspired by the prospect of going outside, she smiled faintly at me. It was the first natural smile I’d seen from her since taking responsibility for her here.

*

That’s how Reika and I spent our time engaging in seemingly futile activities. Days passed.

One rare day off, while I rested, Iren unexpectedly returned early from her mission.

“Miss Iren? Are you done already?”

I examined her expression. She looked unusually serious.

“Swoen. Our Lord has summoned us. We need to head to the Royal Palace immediately.”

“Has something happened?”

“…An invasion.”

“!”

And when I heard her next words…

I immediately thought, ‘Here it comes.’

“The Brance Army, with over 50,000 soldiers, is advancing toward the fortress west of Falaharte Castle.”