The Old Republican (2)

On the way back to Serdin.

The weather was clear and the sky was blue.

Elyssia was clinging tightly to Hwaryon.

Borka had devoured three bowls of stew by herself.

Kenny was reading after the meal, while Ponya and Greg were sparring, utilizing the brief time.

Hwarin, who had prepared refreshments, and Levi, who was smiling as usual.

‘It’s exactly the same as usual.’

Ethan was in a good mood, seeing everyone getting along well.

If there was one slight difference.

“This is really delicious.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

Princess Elizabeth and Maid Jenny had joined them.

Unfortunately, Ethan’s database had no information on a person named “Jenny”.

It seems she’s not a named character.

But Ethan didn’t let his guard down.

‘At the banquet, clearly…’

She had pierced through Elkar’s perception-disrupting veil.

• She doesn’t seem to be an ordinary human.

  Recalling Elkar’s assessment of Jenny, Ethan thought.

  ‘Elkar’s specialty is the perception-disrupting veil that guards the entrance to the Great Forest. The fact that she broke through it means she’s skilled enough to qualify to pass through the high-level Great Forest zone.’

  He naturally thought the king wouldn’t send his precious youngest daughter with just one maid.

  But he expected it to stop at simply attaching guards or secretly dispatching well-trained Inspection Bureau agents around to protect her.

  ‘It seems he attached an incredibly skilled person.’

  Thanks to that, it seemed there was no need to worry much about Elizabeth’s personal safety, but.

  As Jenny’s expressionless face made it impossible to tell whether she was friendly or hostile towards him.

  Ethan couldn’t help but feel slightly tense.

  ‘I should treat her as well as possible without provoking her.’

  Thinking so, he stood up from his seat, but.

  “Ethan-nim! Ethan-nim!”

  “Hm? What’s wrong?”

  “Could you please check our posture?”

  “Sure.”

  As Ponya and Greg asked for help, he decided to gladly assist them.

  It seemed it would be more comfortable than being next to the maid who was hiding her strength.

Maid Jenny was surprised in many ways.

First of all, the tea-making skills of the female servant named Hwarin were terrible.

‘How can she be in charge of housework with such skills?’

Her fruit-peeling skills were the same.

She peels off the skin with chunks of flesh still attached.

Unable to watch anymore, Jenny stepped in to help, and Hwarin watched and learned earnestly.

But suddenly.

A huge wolf spirit appeared like the wind next to Hwarin.

• You’ll need more practice.

  “I know. I guess I still have a long way to go.”

• Don’t get too discouraged. You’ll become proficient someday.

  “Really?”

• Sure, if you try hard for about 20 more years… Why are you looking at me like that, contractor?

  “…It’s nothing. A spirit I know keeps talking nonsense, so I’m thinking of breaking the contract right now.”

• W-Wait!

  ‘A mid-rank wolf spirit?’

  She almost cut her hand on the knife, momentarily losing her composure.

  “Ah, I’m sorry. Did I surprise you? This is Elkar, a nasty spirit who contracted with me on his own.”

• No, if you introduce me like that, what does that make me?

  “I’m just stating facts. Blehhh-“

  Thanks to usually reading books to Elizabeth or Elizabeth reading to her.

  Jenny was quite knowledgeable about various trivia.

  So she could guess the identity of the huge wolf spirit from its appearance.

  ‘Elkar, the gatekeeper of the Great Forest? Why is he here…’

  Suddenly.

  On the evening they left Etre, when the carriage stopped for camping.

  She remembered what Elizabeth had asked of her.

• Observe the hero and his wards and servants closely and report to me.

  At that time, she wondered why the princess was asking this, but.

  Now she could understand her intention.

  ‘None of them are ordinary people.’

  While enjoying refreshments.

  Ethan responded to the children’s call and headed to a wide open space.

  Even to Jenny, who was a knight of the royal guard, the posture of the two children named Ponya and Greg was very good.

  ‘Not inferior to average knights.’

  That level of skill could be called great talent.

  “What should we do in this situation?”

  “In that case…”

  Ponya’s swordsmanship was the heavy-hitting Ligrion style.

  Naturally, her stance was more stable to match that.

  ‘She needs to put in a bit more strength to exert power.’

  Jenny evaluated so.

  But.

  “Let’s loosen up the stance a bit more.”

  “Like this?”

  “Yes. Widen the gap between your feet a little more too.”

  Ethan rather instructed her to loosen up.

  ‘What’s this?’

  Jenny tilted her head at the advice that seemed to undermine the basics of Ligrion-style swordsmanship, but.

  “There’s no need to forcibly knock down a tough opponent. The advantage of Ligrion-style swordsmanship is its power, but the disadvantage is that there’s no follow-up.”

  “No follow-up?”

  “Think about when you fought demon worshippers like Targan or Berda. How was it?”

  “They were so tough, they didn’t cut easily.”

  “That’s right. For opponents weaker than Ponya, you can just crush them as usual, but when facing strong opponents, you shouldn’t swing your sword like usual. With Ligrion-style swordsmanship, if the opponent endures your attack and counterattacks, you’re bound to get hit.”

  She soon understood the explanation that followed.

  ‘It’s training in preparation for facing strong opponents.’

  How this ordinary-looking man defeated demon worshippers.

  And how children could stand on the battlefield with him.

  Jenny could understand a little.

  “In those times, even if you loosen up a bit, it’s better to take a stance like this, so you can be ready for the opponent’s counterattack at any time. While doing so, you look for an opportunity.”

  “I understand! Thank you, Ethan-nim.”

  Ponya wagged her tail and smiled brightly.

  Next was Greg.

  His posture, the direction of his sword swings, and the finesse of his attacks were close to Heikel-style swordsmanship, but something was a bit different.

  “You’re fast, but worried that your attacks lack power, right?”

  “How did you know?”

  “I can see a bit of haste in your movements. Shall we try it calmly?”

  Ethan watched a few movements carefully and.

  “You pulled your left foot back too much there. It might make your next move faster, but it won’t have power behind it.”

  “I see.”

  He offered a solution at once.

  ‘He has a good eye. As expected of a man called a hero.’

  An incredibly skilled person.

  With the thought that she’d like to request a sparring match if the opportunity arises someday.

  Jenny returned to the carriage.

  “How was it? Did you find out anything?”

  Elizabeth, who was waiting for Jenny with a blanket over her knees.

  “Yes. Ethan-nim is a kind and gentle person. All the children are lively and intelligent, looking promising for the future, so it would be good to employ them importantly in the kingdom in the future.”

  “No, no. That’s not it. I mean Levi, Levi. Was there anything suspicious?”

  Afraid that Levi outside might hear.

  Elizabeth unconsciously lowered her voice.

  “Pardon?”

  “The way she looks at me is terribly fierce, you know?”

  “Miss Levi was the kindest of all.”

  Elizabeth frowned.

  “She’s the scariest child. Please observe her carefully from now on.”

  “I understand.”

  Jenny thought it was unnecessary, but she agreed.

That afternoon.

The group arrived in Serdin.

Once again, a large crowd of people gathered.

This time too, the mayor came forward and praised Ethan.

“He’s our hero who defeated three demon worshippers and was recognized by His Majesty the King!!!”

“Woooaaah!!!”

Thanks to the enthusiastic promotion by the mayor, who intended never to take the mayoral position again after this term, Ethan had to be held up for a long time.

After finishing the formal greetings, he finally managed to return home, but.

“?”

An old man sitting in a chair, heavily drunk.

“Oh, you’re back, I see.”

Sir Recid kneeling beside the old man, not moving.

And.

“Boss! You’re back!”

Albert was standing there.

‘What kind of combination is this.’

For the first time in a while, his head was spinning.

“It’s hard to see the owner of the house. Well, Greg. Have you been well?”

“…Yes.”

‘Ah, then this old man is…’

He must be the skilled person who lived in seclusion in the Five Peak Mountains and took in the orphan Greg.

He did send gold coins and a letter through Albert asking him to come to the mansion, but.

‘I didn’t think he’d really come.’

Although he took in Greg and taught him swordsmanship.

He and Greg are not blood-related, just strangers.

Of course, Greg’s story is the only one among the six big shots that has a significant portion missing, so the specific facts are unknown, but.

Judging from Greg’s dialogue in the main story, the relationship between the old man and Greg is just that of master and disciple.

Considering the point when Ethan took in Greg, it wasn’t long after the old man had taken in Greg.

Ethan had half given up hope while writing the letter.

“But why is Sir Recid…”

“Hm? Ah, this little one?”

The old man tapped Sir Recid’s head with his liquor bottle.

“He kept saying he wanted me to teach him, that he wouldn’t move an inch from here until I allowed it. Kekeke.”

“…How many days has it been?”

“Is it the second day today?”

“…Sir Recid. Stand up immediately.”

“……”

“Can’t be helped. I guess I’ll have to fire this disloyal person who ignores his employer’s words and start looking for a new swordsmanship instructor…”

“Th-That absolutely cannot happen!”

‘What, he can stand up just fine.’

It seems he chose the latter after hesitating between [Becoming the old man’s disciple VS Keeping the position of swordsmanship instructor for the children].

“So, shall we hear the reason why you called me all the way here?”

“Ah, that’s simple. Please become the swordsmanship instructor for the children.”

“An instructor, huh. Are they outstanding kids like Greg?”

“Yes, they are.”

“Oh ho, is that so?”

The old man’s eyes sparkle.

“You’re not some noble or anything, are you? I have an allergy to nobles.”

“I’m a commoner.”

“Pass.”

He held out his dirty hand and said.

“How much will you pay?”

“How much do you want?”

“5000 gold per month.”

“Alright.”

The old man had just thrown out a number casually, but.

When Ethan immediately agreed, he was rather taken aback.

“…Really?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Puhahaha! This guy’s properly crazy. Alright. I don’t need that much money, just give me a reasonable amount.”

“Alright. Let’s write up a contract.”

They wrote a contract on the spot.

Only then remembering Albert, Ethan turned his head.

“What’s the matter?”

“You need to check the reports and ledgers. Quite a lot has piled up.”

“Please handle it directly and just give me a brief report. You’re Albert Hugo, the head of the Regin Merchant Group, aren’t you?”

“Boss…”

Ethan had no intention of directly managing the merchant group.

He also hated troublesome things.

And he wasn’t confident he could do better than Albert, who would become a great merchant in the future.

‘If I leave it to Albert, money will multiply. Why would I interfere?’

“Oh right. Please hire some staff and visit Count Sharian’s territory.”

“May I ask why…”

“It’s nothing much. A mana stone mine has been developed, and we agreed to entrust the distribution to our merchant group. You can handle it, right, Head of the Merchant Group?”

Albert’s mouth corners twitched at the words “Head of the Merchant Group”.

“Of course! Leave it to me!”

Watching Albert pack his briefcase and leave through the main gate.

Ethan finally let out a sigh.

But then.

“What’s this, is this girl a noble?”

“Shut that filthy mouth and get away from the Miss immediately. You unsightly drunkard.”

“What? This~ Judging by your appearance, how dare a mere apron-wearing servant!”

The old man and the princess’s group clashed.