Chapter 24 The End of Summer Vacation and the Big Surprise
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Days flew by, and finally, it was the last day of summer vacation.
It was a summer full of events.
After the ‘Dragon God Festival,’ the grandma’s tailor shop was super busy. After a while, more young women in colorful yukatas and young men in stylish outfits appeared in the village. I hope this trend sticks around as a seasonal fashion, not just a passing fad.
My classmates, Jan and others, came crying about homework in the second half of summer vacation.
I firmly refused to let them copy my work, but I made time to help Kazumi and Rena study.
After the ‘Dungeon Burst’ incident where the village was attacked, more people from outside the village started visiting our hot springs. It seems the word spread among adventurers about how great they are.
Also, my dad went to the capital and talked with the Minister of War (who is an old friend of my parents and a former hero). It seems Razia Village was recognized as a base for troops.
”I heard they got a big budget too.”
My mom said. Thanks to that, construction of barracks for the troops and land for relocating families has started to progress.
* * *
And so, our early morning training continued without a break.
I got advice from my master during the confrontation with the ogre at the ‘Dragon God Festival,’ and it seems my response of ‘one strike at their feet’ was pretty good. Since I’m not tall, there’s no need to force an attack from above.
I shared my mom’s one strike technique, but…
”‘Megumi the Greatsword’ seems to have some serious skills. That’s not something you can just copy, so don’t try.”
He laughed.
On the last day of training, when I sparred with Garm, he gave up after I scored one point. In my match with Ares, I took all 3 points, and surprisingly, I even scored my first point against my master!
”…You little monster.”
Ares rubbed my head roughly.
(…But honestly, it felt like he was holding back a bit.)
While I was thinking that, my master came back after going inside the mansion to get ready for work. He had something in his hands…
”Hiroya. I want to give you what I promised.”
It was a slightly shorter sword. It looked like a wakizashi, but it was a bit longer than usual. The sheath was black lacquer, and the grip and guard were made like a Japanese sword.
”Ah… Thank you!”
I see. My master found this ‘sword’ and wanted to give it to me, so he let me score a point.
”It was tough. I heard there’s still a blacksmith somewhere in the kingdom who can make these.”
He said that as he handed me the sword.
”I managed to find the real thing. Eventually, I’ll find the blacksmith and have him make one that fits you.”
”I’ll take good care of it.”
”It’s fine to use a weapon until it wears out.”
”No… I’ve heard that in Eastern swordsmanship, the essence is to ‘put your soul into a single strike.’ That’s the same as ‘putting your soul into a weapon’.”
Seeing me say that, my master nodded proudly and then said,
”Well said. Take good care of it.”
He rubbed my head affectionately.
* * *
Now, about the stamp card.
Rena, Martina, and I have completed everything. Ares and Garm finished from the second day.
”Great job, everyone. I have presents for you.”
Kazumi placed the wooden box she was holding on the garden table and opened the lid. I couldn’t see what was inside from here.
”Now, Ms. Rena, Ms. Martina, Mr. Hiroya, please come here and line up.”
With a tone like Kazumi’s teacher, Rena and Martina nervously lined up in front of Kazumi.
Of course, I did too. And what was taken out of the box was…
”Wow! A pendant! Did you carve this, Big Sis Kazumi?”
Martina happily admired the wooden pendant hanging around her neck.
”It’s beautiful… Rena and Martina’s are ‘Eternal White,’ right?”
Rena also looked at the pendant with a flower carved on it, looking pleased.
”I had Mom help me with it, though…”
Kazumi scratched her head shyly. Even though aunt helped, she did her best in her own clumsy way.
A pendant was placed around my neck too.
”It’s the flower of our first meeting… a memory flower.”
Kazumi whispered in my ear as she put the pendant on me.
Speaking of which, on my first day at work, the boss Miura introduced me as a mentor and said,
”What a pretty hair accessory. But it’s not needed for work, so I’ll hold onto it.”
She took the cherry blossom petal that was in my hair.
That one comment and Miura’s smile at that moment eased my nerves.
*
”You remembered well.”
I looked at the cherry blossom carved on my pendant and felt nostalgic.
”Oh, Hiroya’s is a cherry blossom… a fleeting and beautiful flower…”
As expected of Rena, the goddess who knows about Japanese culture. She understands wabi-sabi too.
”Yeah. If it exists in this world, I want to see it someday…”
Ares and Garm had pendants with ‘shields’ carved on them.
”You all will be Liz’s ‘shield’.”
The two pervy Fighters nodded seriously, still in teacher mode like Kazumi.
”Ms. Liz, you can have this.”
”Huh? You’re giving it to me too?”
”Of course. You’ve been coming every day. You’re here more than Ares and Garm.”
Kazumi winked at Liz.
”That’s kind of embarrassing.”
Liz smiled as Kazumi put a pendant around her neck. The design was a ‘rose.’
”What a beautiful flower…”
Liz gazed at the pendant.
”Ms. Liz is beautiful, so I wanted to remind you to never forget your femininity, and that’s why I chose a pretty rose.”
”Wait… why are you saying this all of a sudden…?”
Kazumi made Liz blush hard. If she were a guy, she’d be a master of sweet talk.
”I’ll treasure it… It’s the first time I’ve ever received a pendant after being called beautiful…♡.”
Liz tightly held the pendant. Oh, if this had been given to her by a guy, she would have definitely fallen for him.
I, along with Kazumi, Rena, and Martina, glared at Ares and Garm.
”You can’t even give a present to a female teammate… That’s why you’re not popular.”
At Kazumi’s words, the pervy Fighters looked at Liz apologetically and shrank back.
* * *
I finished my training and went home for a bit. I really wanted to take care of the sword my master gave me.
I asked Ms. Stella, the head maid, for a whetstone and olive oil. I crushed the whetstone into fine powder. This would be the ‘dusting powder.’ The olive oil would be used as ‘sword oil’ to prevent rust.
I applied the ‘dusting powder’ to the blade with a towel, wiping off the old oil.
I sat down in my room, ready to work, and drew the sword from its sheath.
”This is…”
When I saw the gleaming blade, a chill ran down my spine. The length was 60cm (24in). In the world of Japanese swords, this type is called a “Ōwakizashi.”
(This sword has taken quite a few lives…)
I could tell instinctively.
I had once held a certain military sword in my original world, and this one gave off the same vibe.
The owner, an army officer, had reportedly slashed through American soldiers with that sword during his unit’s last stand.
Since this sword is from this world, it’s possible it hasn’t killed any people.
It might have taken the lives of monsters instead. However, the chill I felt was similar to what I experienced back then, and that made me even more uneasy.
Anyway, I decided to take apart the sword and expose the blade. Strangely, the craftsmanship was exactly like that of a Japanese sword. There were no inscriptions, though.
I dusted it off and wiped it with paper. I applied olive oil to the blade and wiped it off lightly with paper to finish.
* * *
(Alright…)
I faced a log I had stuck in the yard for practice.
I closed my eyes and imagined it. I pictured cutting the log in half.
”Physical Boost.”
I opened my eyes. I drew the sword.
──Shh!
The sound of the blade sliding out of the sheath echoed.
──Clang!
(I felt it…!)
I sheathed the sword. It slid in smoothly. This meant there were no distortions in the blade.
With a heavy thud, the log fell over.
I could cut it. There was no doubt this was a fine piece of work.
”Hiroya… you’re amazing!”
When I turned around, my mom was standing there with wide eyes.
She came over and picked up the log to look at the cut.
”This isn’t just brute force. It’s technique and speed…?”
She said this with a grin. No, that’s kind of scary, Mom.
”Alright! Let’s have a match next time!”
My mom happily returned to the mansion. Mom, was she a battle junkie…?
”There’s no way I can win against that…”
I shivered as I remembered the smile my mom showed before leaving.
I had no idea that, as I nervously returned to the mansion, there was a gaze glaring at my back after ‘she’ checked the cut of the log, just like ‘her’.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.