episode_0059

After making thorough preparations, I left the lodging with Mister Fosao. As I walked towards the arena with a pounding heart. Suddenly, a man abruptly blocked my path.

“Hello. Are you perhaps Miss Tia Anshier?” He had a neat uniform, a dignified physique. And judging by the standard longsword at his waist, he seemed to be a soldier from some organization. What could this be? There was no reason for a soldier to seek me out.

“Yes. And you are?” “Ah! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” The man bowed respectfully. It was my first time receiving such a polite greeting in Deseo, so I couldn’t help but be flustered. Mister Fosao also met my gaze, as if he didn’t understand the reason either.

“I am from the Defensive Swordsmanship Association. Our association has expressed a strong desire to meet Miss Tia Anshier. If you would be willing to spare your time, I will personally escort you to the association headquarters.” As he spoke, he pointed to a large carriage parked on the roadside. It looked twice as big as the carriage I had ridden in Rottenban. It even had steps for easy boarding, suggesting it was a carriage used by nobles. A large shield emblem was carved onto the door.

Defensive Swordsmanship Association? It was a name I heard for the first time, but the man didn’t seem to be lying. Putting everything else aside, the word ‘swordsmanship’ was included, which made it sufficiently interesting. I was also curious what kind of swordsmanship they taught that made them want to meet me, even preparing such a magnificent carriage.

Under normal circumstances, I would have readily accepted, but unfortunately, it was time to go to the arena. “I’m sorry. I have a match scheduled.” “Yes, I am aware. Please don’t worry. Our Defensive Swordsmanship Association is one of the cooperative bodies of the Arena Operating Council. If you accept the invitation, we can, at our discretion, reschedule Miss Tia Anshier’s fourth match to the last priority. Would you be able to spare time if we do that?”

“Ahaha…” I gave an awkward laugh and glanced behind me. Mister Fosao also nodded, seeming to indicate there was no problem. “Then there’s no issue.” “Thank you for your consideration. Now, please board the carriage.”

Since they said they would handle everything, I had no reason to refuse. How exciting! The moment I swiftly climbed into the carriage and reached out my hand to Mister Fosao, who was behind me. The coachman suddenly blocked the space between us.

“You cannot come with her.” “Huh? Huh?” A look of bewilderment appeared in Mister Fosao’s eyes. My voice unknowingly rose. “Why not?” “The only person our association has invited is Miss Tia Anshier. No one else can accompany her. We will depart now.” As he spoke, he attempted to close the carriage door.

“Wait!” I jumped out of the carriage again. The coachman turned to look at me, his expression asking why I was doing this. “Please take this mister with us too.” “Pardon? Is this person a family member?” “Uh—no. Not exactly…” “Then he cannot accompany you.”

He was so resolute that it seemed useless to say anything else. “Ugh—then it’s fine. Thank you for the invitation, but I’ll decline.” “Are you perhaps refusing because this person cannot accompany you?” “Yes.” “Hmm…”

The coachman glanced at Mister Fosao. His expression showed he didn’t understand why I was so insistent on bringing this man. After a moment of consideration, he nodded. “…Very well. Then, please come along.”

We boarded the carriage and headed somewhere. Before long, the carriage stopped on a large street. Guided to alight, I found a colossal building directly in front of my eyes. Several columns made of marble. Everyone entering and exiting wore swords, and they also carried books tucked at their waists, as if they were pursuing academic studies. Overwhelmed by the mysterious and grand feeling, I followed the coachman.

“Please wait here for a moment. I will inform the Association President.” I was led to a reception room. On the table, a tea set was neatly arranged as if ready for use at any time, and the chairs were splendid. When I carefully sat down, I was surprised by how plush they were. I was dumbfounded. The welcome was grander than I expected, which made me feel a little intimidated. Mister Fosao, however, seemed overjoyed and chuckled to himself.

“Ti-Tia… To be invited to a place like this, you really are amazing…” “Aren’t you nervous, Mister?” “Nervous? Why…? If they’re able to recognize Ti-Tia, then they must be goo-good people…” “Right?” It really was a good decision to insist on coming with Mister Fosao. It’s reassuring to have someone you know by your side in an unfamiliar place. It was then.

“Ah, thank you very much for accepting our invitation, Miss Tia Anshier.” A man entered the reception room. He wore a ludicrously curled wig and silk clothes with complex, colorful patterns. It was undeniably a noble’s attire.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am the President of the Defensive Swordsmanship Association.” “…A-A pleasure to meet you too, President!” “There’s no need to be so nervous. Here, everyone is of equal standing as a ‘Swordsman.’ You don’t need to treat me with excessive formality.” “Yes, President. Thank you for inviting me.”

The President turned to Mister Fosao. “And this person is…?” “He’s a very grateful person who has helped me a lot.” “N-No… I’m Fosao Mo-Modaless…” “Modaless! You are the owner of the Modaless Trading Firm, Miss Anshier’s sponsor! Please, make yourself comfortable.”

Clink. Warm tea was served in front of us. The President spoke with a warm smile.

“The reason I invited Miss Anshier is nothing else but because I personally witnessed the swordsmanship you displayed in the arena. You showed quite practical swordsmanship. I never expected an ordinary young lady, not even a War Knight, to be able to wield such a comprehensive offensive and defensive swordsmanship.” “Hehe—Thank you…” “You may not recall, but last year, our association also heard rumors about Miss Anshier and sent a dispatched knight to request your visit to Deseo. Unfortunately, it fell through.”

“Ah… Surely not…! Was that you back then?” “Indeed.” I remembered. Was it last winter? A knight had visited Breezedon and said he wanted to take me to Deseo. The villagers hadn’t told me exactly, so I didn’t know, but it seemed the place that invited me back then was this very ‘Defensive Swordsmanship Association’.

To be honest, I had wanted to accept that invitation. Even my Master had strongly recommended it, saying it would be a very good experience. However, the Village Chief-nim and most of the elders were against it, so I had no choice but to refuse the request. I thought the opportunity was gone forever… But it had come back, after all this time. To a place that genuinely acknowledged my swordsmanship.

“So, I must ask, now that we have this rare opportunity… From whom did you receive instruction in that swordsmanship?” “From my Master, Bin Carlos.” “…Just as I thought.” The President closed his eyes, as if pleased with the answer.

“Master Carlos is still alive. Is he currently in Taildon?” “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you his exact whereabouts. My Master asked me to keep it a secret. But as you guessed, he resides in Taildon.” “He hasn’t gone as far as I thought. Personally, I would very much like to meet Master Carlos, but I don’t wish to disturb his freedom, so it seems I will have to seek assistance from you, Miss Anshier, his disciple.”

“Assistance with what?” “First, I should explain the identity of our ‘Defensive Swordsmanship Association’.” He showed me a small emblem pinned to his chest. It was a design of two crossed swords over a shield.

“We safeguard swordsmanship. In every region and among every people of the world, unique forms of swordsmanship exist. Combat techniques that have continued their lineage throughout history have been honed sharply in their own ways. However, in a peaceful era like today, there’s no longer a need to bear arms. So, in order to preserve the lineage of great swordsmanship, we invite Sword Masters from all over the country to this place, to formalize their teachings, compile them into textbooks, and strive to pass them down to future generations.” “Wow! That’s amazing!”

“…However, the current situation is not so easy.” The President looked out the window. The very tall royal palace, the ‘Red Castle’, was visible. “Miss Anshier. May I ask you something? How did you perceive the skill of the opponents you met in the arena?” “Uh- Can I be honest?” “Yes. Strict secrecy is maintained here.” “They were terrible! Completely—!”

“I presumed as much.” I had answered quite aggressively, but he nodded as if it were the correct answer. “They are individuals who have never experienced war. Yet, they carry weapons and call themselves swordsmen. In this way, modern swordsmanship has degenerated into a form of entertainment. Not for the purpose of protecting this land.” “Why did that happen?”

“Because ‘Knights’ are disappearing.” “Knights…?” Thinking about it carefully, I really hadn’t seen any knights here. I had thought there would be many people like Robert-nim in Deseo. All I had encountered were lightly armed guards or private soldiers.

“…Why?” “Because His Majesty wishes it to be this way.” “His Majesty?!” I unknowingly raised my voice, and at the same time, Mister Fosao’s hand gently grabbed my arm. It was a signal to be cautious. Mister Fosao stammered as he interjected.

“Uh, excuse me… Why are you telling Tia such things…?” “It may sound like a somewhat dangerous statement. However, before Miss Anshier gains the royal family’s attention, we needed to ensure her safety first. And you, yourself, need to accurately understand the situation you are currently in.” “President… I don’t understand what you mean.” “Yes. It might be difficult for you to grasp yet. So, I will put it simply.”

In a much lower voice than before, the President spoke softly. “When a Knight’s blade is aimed not at an enemy, but at Deseo itself. Who would be the most fearful?” “…” He cleared his throat and stood up.

“Just roughly understand our situation, and let’s stop this conversation here. Anyway, the request we have for Miss Anshier is… that you teach Master Carlos’s great swordsmanship to our members.” “Do I have the qualifications for that? I’ve only learned for two years…” “Haha! If what you learned in ‘just two years’ is ‘that level,’ then many swordsmen would be disheartened. And the compensation is…”

At the mention of ‘compensation,’ I instinctively snapped my head up. “We will offer you an honorary sponsorship fee of 300 gold, and the qualification of Provost.” “I’ll do it!” I shot up from my seat.

‘Provost’, the rank after Priscolla. It was two ranks lower than my Master, a ‘Sword Master’, but still a title that came with immense privileges. Most importantly, from Provost onwards, one gains the qualification to teach others. This alone was tempting, but on top of that, 300 gold, equivalent to the prize money for winning! For me, who urgently needed even 1 gold, it was an offer I had no reason to refuse.

“Excellent. Then, we will send the same carriage to Miss Anshier’s lodging tomorrow. It was a pleasant meeting.” “Thank you! President!” We returned to the noble district. I whooped with joy and ran excitedly down the street.

“Mister! I received an incredible offer! They said I’ll get 300 gold just for giving a proper lecture tomorrow!” “Th-That’s right. That’s great. R-Really…” Mister Fosao chuckled heartily.

“I-I always feel this, but… Tia really is am-amazing. To be invited by such important people…” “It’s not me who’s amazing, it’s my Master.” “No… Master Bin… I think he took you as a disciple because he knew your talent. You really are amazing…”

“Hehe—. I don’t necessarily think only I’m amazing.” I crossed my arms and looked up at the sky. “Of course, Master is an amazing person, but… I think I received this invitation thanks to your suggestion to participate in the arena. So, isn’t the person who created this coincidence also amazing?”

“Uh…” I turned my head and grinned widely. “Right?” “I-Is that so? Hehe…” Mister Fosao also laughed awkwardly along with me.