Dungeon Exploration

"Aaah!"

A fierce pain bloomed from the crown of my head, and a scream tore free before I could stop it.

Celion watched me and laughed lightly.

Eyes still wet with tears, I tried to counter. But the only sword techniques I could properly use were a cut and a thrust. After the thrust there was nothing to follow with, so resetting my stance took far too long. Fighting monsters had never exposed this weakness; now it stood out in sharp relief.

It felt exactly like sparring with the Gatekeeper back in the village. He had always drawn out my flaws with natural ease ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and hammered them until I understood them myself. Every time my attack failed, her counter came without fail and rapped me on the head. I had no choice but to grow more careful.

"Hmm..."

The longer the bout stretched, the more a puzzled look settled on Celion's face. I wanted to ask why, but dodging the blade she kept swinging left me no room for questions.

Clang!

As if she had already read my next move, her sword flashed into the exact space I was retreating toward. I jerked my own blade up in time to catch the blow, but her strength shoved me off-balance. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the pain that always followed.

It never came.

I cracked one eye open. Celion stood with her arms folded, wearing an odd expression.

"I-Is it over?"

"If you've shown me everything you can, then yes."

"Whew..."

I let out a long breath of relief and lowered my sword. Even that short, frantic exchange had left me soaked in sweat. I slid the blade home across my back and waited for her verdict.

"How did I do?"

"Bronze Rank, for starters. You're in. But..."

She looked down at my face and let the sentence trail off, then began to explain what she had felt.

"Your form is solid. You must have had a good teacher. There was some hesitation in your attacks, but that's actually a good sign—it means you understand how terrifying a real, sharpened blade can be."

Celion spoke lightly as she sheathed her own sword, then continued.

"But... your attacks kept stopping mid-flow. Especially after a thrust."

"Ah, that..."

"Did you never learn the follow-up?"

I nodded quietly. In truth I had learned more. I simply never used anything beyond the downward cut and the thrust in real combat, because the other motions had never felt proper. Even while training back in the village I had sometimes sensed how awkward the transitions were.

"A shame. If you'd mastered that sword style completely, you could have earned at least higher than Bronze."

"Is the style that impressive?"

"Hard to say without seeing the whole thing... but the way you talk, you don't even know its name, do you?"

I nodded again and told her my story—how I had come to learn the sword, and the attitude of the man who taught me. I left out the part about running away from home.

"Hmm... so there must have been a reason he could only teach you that much."

Celion muttered to herself, then started dragging me around. She filled out the pass certificate and even handled the rank badge for me; I must have made a decent impression.

"Here."

"Oh—thank you."

I accepted the rank badge from her and bowed my head in gratitude. She studied me for a moment, then turned and disappeared back into the room she had come from.

A woman with striking red hair.

I murmured Celion's name under my breath and headed for the library on the second floor.

The moment I stepped inside I was deeply disappointed. The sword manuals on the shelves were in terrible condition. Some held nothing but pictures and no text at all; others were written in handwriting so illegible they might as well have been blank. Aside from me there was only one other visitor, and after flipping through a few volumes he clicked his tongue and left.

"Ugh..."

Security didn't look great either. I glanced at the librarian dozing at the desk and shook my head. My expectations had plummeted, but I still meant to look.

I dragged over the little wooden stepladder from the corner and began pulling books down one by one. The first volume I chose looked to be in the best shape. Its opening lines were vague nonsense about "feeling nature." I read on for a long while, hoping I had found something worthwhile. It turned out to be not a sword manual at all, but the diary of some swordsman who had wildly exaggerated every one of his own exploits.

I sighed and reached for the next book.

Early morning.

I opened my eyes in the inn bed. Reading until late the night before had left them gritty and sore. I sat on the edge of the mattress, chin in hand, and sighed.

The Swordsman Guild's library had been an absolute disaster. There was no chance I would find the origin of the style I used in a place like that. I hadn't checked every single book, so the judgment was early—but the library's wretched state made it feel justified.

Right. No more. Pure waste of time.

I dressed and went downstairs. Even at this hour the first floor was busy preparing breakfast. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The savory smell drifting through the air promised a hot soup. I found a seat and ordered.

Just as I expected: a bubbling pot of soup, mashed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠potatoes, and a single sausage. The potatoes were topped with mayonnaise. I stirred them with my fork and smiled faintly, remembering the moment my past-life memories had first returned. Back then I had actually planned to make soap and mayonnaise and sell them for money—until I discovered both already existed at the village chief's house. Looking back now, it was only funny.

I speared the sausage and ate.

After breakfast I headed, of course, to the Adventurer Guild. On the way I glanced once at the Swordsman Guild, then shook my head. I had no desire to waste more time in that nightmare of a library.

I had seen the place when I sent the letter, but the interior was still impressively large. A big country meant a lot of adventurers, I supposed. I looked around and made for the notice board. The board itself was enormous to match the building; some postings hung higher than I could reach.

While scanning for a suitable request, one notice caught my eye completely.

This was it.

I tore the notice free at once and carried it to the receptionist. She looked exhausted from the heavy workload, but managed a small smile when I approached.

"What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to take this one."

"Dungeon exploration...?"

She checked the notice I held out. I showed her my rank badge—brand-new and still gleaming from yesterday.

"Applying as a swordsman. I've got the badge."

"Hmm. Rank checks out. Record's clean, too."

"I only made it yesterday."

"Well... shouldn't matter. Here, take this."

She handed me a small slip of paper with the client's inn and room number. No reason to hesitate; I headed straight there.

Another adventurer was already waiting outside the door—clearly here for the same request. I walked up and spoke.

"Is no one inside?"

"Huh? Are you the client...?"

He held up his own slip of paper as he asked. I shook my head.

"I'm here for the request too."

"Ah, the dungeon exploration... Yeah, doesn't look like anyone's in the room."

"Really...?"

"I've been waiting about twenty minutes already..."

The male adventurer sighed heavily and sank down beside the door. He looked worn out; I wondered if he could even fight properly.

"You a cleric? Or a mage?"

"Swordsman."

"Swordsman...? Bronze?"

"Yes. You?"

"A-ahem..."

He turned his head and showed me his own Bronze badge, still staring at me as if I were some strange creature. Hard to blame him. A girl who looked years younger claiming the same Bronze Rank as a swordsman would be hard for anyone to swallow at first glance.

We waited in silence after that. Time dragged.

At last a woman came up the stairs. She wore a snow-white leather coat and froze in surprise when she saw the two of us sitting in the hallway.

"Wh-what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is this...?"

"Ah—are you the occupant of this room?"

The male adventurer scrambled to his feet and held out his paper.

"We're here about the dungeon exploration request."

"Ah..."

Understanding dawned; she nodded, then looked at me.

"You as well...?"

"Yes."

"A mage, perhaps? Or a cleric?"

Her eyes sparkled with hope. Why did everyone keep assuming that? I wasn't even wearing the robes of either profession. I could have answered her hope—I was a mage who could use magic. But if I kept operating as one, trouble would find me sooner or later: Tower mages showing up, that sort of thing.

"No. Swordsman."

So I simply held out the Bronze Rank badge I had received from the Swordsman Guild.