5
Chapter 5:
It had been exactly one week since I took up the post of Swordsmanship Instructor to Siellin.
In that time, I came to realize just what an absurd genius Siellin truly was.
"Don't mock me. I'm still not even close to being a match for you."
Siellin, collapsed on the ground beneath me, ground her teeth.
"You've improved a lot in just one week."
"I lost to a single strike."
"If a student who's only trained for a week can beat their teacher, that teacher's license ought to be revoked on the spot."
One week? Please.
Five years wouldn't even be enough.
To stand as my equal.
'It might be good to get some real combat experience soon.'
Considering the gap in skill between Siellin and me, I inevitably had no choice but to hold back to some degree.
The thing is—I couldn't give her the kind of fight where an opponent throws everything they have at you just to squeeze out a win.
And yet, there's actually a lot to learn from that kind of fight.
'Isn't there something?'
I was stroking my chin, turning it over in my head.
"What weird thing are you thinking about now, mister?"
Siellin had brushed herself off and stood up, narrowing her eyes at me.
"I'm thinking about how to develop you further."
"What I have now is enough."
"It is enough. No need to rush either. But."
Maybe a week of playing teacher had given me some kind of professional spirit.
It just felt like a waste—like there was still more I could do.
Going on like this wasn't wrong, but it felt like something was missing by just a hair.
"I think it would be good if you gained more real combat experience."
"If that's all it is, it shouldn't be a problem?"
Siellin shrugged.
"A few weeks back, the Household Head mentioned she'd received an invitation to the Northern Hunting Tournament. Didn't she say you absolutely had to attend, so please don't cause any trouble?"
Hearing the words Northern Hunting Tournament jogged my memory.
'Something I need to worry about even more than real combat experience has come up.'
If my memory was right, the Sword Saint's infamy spread across the entire continent starting from that tournament.
I didn't know the full details.
But there had been rumors going around—that a monster threatening the continent had been born.
'I have to stop it.'
I'm here now.
All I have to do is find some way to keep those awful rumors from spreading.
'Though it's a bit surprising.'
The Northern Hunting Tournament is, as the name suggests, an annual event hosted by the Grand Duke of the North.
Participants are the scions of high-ranking families who receive an invitation from the North.
And depending on how well those scions perform in the tournament, they could become the pride of their family—or be branded as deadweight.
In other words, a lot of people would be gathered there.
On top of that, it was something Harsen, whom Siellin despised, had personally requested.
And yet Siellin's stance was that she'd go without complaint.
"You're not going against your will, are you?"
"No. It's better to get out than to look at those irritating faces. Though..."
Siellin hesitated before continuing.
"There'll be a lot of people there, won't there?"
"It's where the scions of high-ranking families gather, so that's inevitable."
"Ugh... I hate it."
Siellin shuddered.
"Even if you hate it, it's something you have to go through. You can't spend your whole life alone."
"Can't I just live alone my whole life? I don't mind."
Siellin pouted and grumbled.
"Siellin. Living alone, at peace, without a care in the world—that's the hardest thing in the world."
Living life, I'd found there were far too many obstacles that got in my way.
Even if you lived alone, you couldn't escape the stress that came with human relationships.
For someone like Siellin, even more so.
"If it's something you were always going to have to face eventually—it's better to face it now. You can't avoid it anyway."
"...Haah. I know, but thinking about the people who'll pester me there is already annoying."
"Well, that part you don't need to worry about."
I curved the corners of my mouth upward.
"I'll handle anyone who bothers you, so all you need to do is watch how I deal with them and learn."
My teaching philosophy is simple.
Think of it as teaching how to put people in their place—efficiently, and without taking any losses.
"Mister."
Siellin called my name quietly.
"Don't talk like that."
"Like what."
"Just don't, I said!"
Siellin let out a screech and buried her hands in her own hair.
...That's not something I taught her.
***
"But are you really not participating, mister?"
"We agreed from the start that I'd take on the role of your escort."
The Northern Hunting Tournament was open only to scions who had not yet undergone their coming-of-age ceremony—that is, those under twenty.
There wasn't a formal rule about it.
But the custom had carried on for so long that it had become an unspoken rule—once you'd had your coming-of-age ceremony, you didn't participate.
"I still don't understand why there needs to be an escort."
The Northern Hunting Tournament was closely tied to dungeons, which made it considerably dangerous.
That was why an escort had to be brought along.
There was actually a formal rule for this.
So usually, families would assign a capable escort.
And that was the role I had taken on.
"Still, at least I won't have to see that irritating face."
The person Siellin was referring to was Nardi.
He was originally supposed to come along, but the moment Siellin said she'd go, he declared he wouldn't be attending—as if he'd been waiting for the chance.
Buzz!
Just then, light poured into the warp gate.
The North had opened a warp gate for us.
"Let's head out."
"Is it alright to go just like this, with no preparation?"
"We're going at the North's invitation—there's no reason for us to prepare anything ourselves."
No servants or the like were needed either.
Everything would already be in place.
"That's actually a relief."
I took Siellin, who was nodding along, and stepped onto the warp gate.
For a brief moment, an intense sensation of weightlessness washed over my body.
When I opened my eyes, we were in the North.
"Ugh... urgh!"
Siellin, who had ridden a warp gate for the first time, started to retch.
I patted her on the back and handed her some water.
Siellin drank it without hesitation and steadied her breathing.
"I never want to ride one of those again."
"Ride a carriage for several weeks straight and you'll think differently."
"...I'll take the warp gate."
I turned away from Siellin and looked at the sight spread out before me.
'No matter how many times I see it, it's tall.'
A castle wall that overwhelmed the senses rose high into the air.
I had seen it before the Regression as well.
But perhaps my mindset had changed.
Back then, I'd criticized it as pointlessly tall—yet now the word impressive came to mind on its own.
"Lady Siellin Rekanof and Sir Adrian Valter. Welcome to the North."
A retainer who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere greeted us with a respectful bow.
"I will escort you to His Highness the Grand Duke."
We entered the interior of the castle and followed the guidance.
It was a familiar space—and yet.
It was different from before the Regression.
Not in the furniture or anything like that.
The atmosphere was different.
When I had come to the North before the Regression, it had been to discuss the subjugation of the Sword Saint, who had descended into Madness.
'The mood was solemn back then.'
It's quite relaxed now.
"Welcome!!!"
...Having this person as the Grand Duke contributed to that as well.
The Northern Grand Duke, Zabel Pentelf.
Unlike other Grand Dukes of the North, he was a jovial, untamed man.
"The North welcomes all! Hahaha!"
The Grand Duke thrust out his hand toward us.
"Ugh."
Siellin, overwhelmed by his boisterous energy, flinched and furrowed her brows.
He was still too much for Siellin to handle.
So I stepped in and clasped the Grand Duke's hand in a handshake.
"Oh. You're strong. So much so that I can't see the end of it."
The Grand Duke let out a sound of admiration and grinned.
"And yet with strength like this, you never once accepted my invitation! The Valter Ducal House really does love to tease!"
"There were circumstances."
Nonsense.
I'd simply thought there was no real reason to go.
And then before I knew it, I had my coming-of-age ceremony, and the invitations stopped coming.
"Well, at least you're here now—let that be enough!"
The Grand Duke released my hand and looked toward Siellin.
"Hmm. We might just see the youngest champion ever this time."
Unlike certain others, the Grand Duke was genuinely impressed by Siellin's achievements.
"This tournament is going to be the most fiercely contested one yet. Should be entertaining."
"I can tell you find it entertaining, but why did you call for us?"
"Well... my steward told me to. I myself don't quite understand the need for the summons."
It was an excessively candid answer.
That was also a hallmark of this generation's Northern Grand Duke.
Direct. Honest.
Before the Regression, I had admired those qualities in him.
"Introductions are done, and it seems we've passed the time well enough. Oh—and there's a banquet going on among the tournament participants right now, so do stop by."
"Understood."
"...Yes."
That tiny mouse-squeak of a voice behind me wasn't mine.
It was Siellin's reply—and remarkably, she'd managed to use formal speech.
On top of that, Siellin had even impressively given a small bow of her head.
'So this is why you raise a student.'
Every time I see her change, bit by bit, it warms my heart.
"Ptoo! Ptoo!"
But the moment Siellin stepped out of the audience chamber, she made a spitting gesture.
"Mister. I can't do formal speech. My mouth refuses."
Boom!
It was as though that sound rang out inside my head.
To think the daughter I'd raised so diligently had a constitution incompatible with formal speech.
My vision went dark.
A dull ache settled in my head for no reason.
I cursed the world.
"Please stop making such a fuss...!"
"To think you have a constitution that can't do formal speech... Siellin, don't worry. I'll cure that condition of yours."
"What do you mean condition... Haah. Mister, forget that. Do we really have to go to the banquet?"
Drama mode: disengaged.
I looked at Siellin with a serious gaze.
"We don't have to. You don't need to go if you don't want to. It's not mandatory."
"...Tch."
Siellin clicked her tongue, shut her eyes tight, and spoke.
"Even so... I should go. You said it yourself, mister. If it's something you were always going to have to face eventually, it's better to face it now. A banquet is the same, isn't it."
"Good thinking."
I had been gauging her intentions.
I'd planned on taking her either way.
Would there really be no future occasion requiring her to attend a banquet or dinner?
No.
There would be plenty.
She couldn't avoid them her whole life.
'To her credit.'
Siellin hadn't chosen avoidance.
That was encouraging.
"Don't worry too much. It'll just be a simple banquet."
"...Okay."
Siellin answered with a reluctant expression.
"If it gets to be too much, say so. You can leave in the middle."
Siellin nodded without a word.
"Let's go."
We headed for the banquet hall.
"Huu. Huu."
Before going in.
I waited for Siellin to take her deep breaths.
"Are you alright?"
"...Let's go in."
As we entered the banquet hall, countless gazes landed on us.
"Hup..."
Siellin pressed herself tightly against my side.
In the meantime, I scanned our surroundings.
'There are a few faces I don't recognize.'
Setting aside Siellin, who'd had little public activity—
There were actually quite a few people who didn't recognize me either.
"V-Valter Family...!"
That one at least knows me.
"...Who is that?"
That one doesn't.
I was roughly sorting through the crowd like that when—
"That's supposed to be a genius? She's just a trembling brat."
"A twelve-year-old lauded to the skies. The Rekanof Household must have really had nothing else to brag about."
I found a peculiar group—ones who didn't know me, but did know Siellin.
"Participating in the hunting tournament, my foot. She'd probably lose to a commoner."
"They just tossed a greenhouse flower out into the open."
They were probably whispering under the impression it wasn't audible.
But I have pretty good ears.
I could hear every word, clear as day.
"Siellin."
"Y-yeah."
Siellin was probably catching that conversation too.
She had good ears just the same.
"When a noble has been insulted—brushing it off because it's a hassle actually does more harm to your reputation."
I moved my feet in the direction of the scions gathered and mocking Siellin.
"Hup..."
The scions who knew my identity drew sharp breaths.
The ones badmouthing her didn't know me.
"What? An escort daring to come over here..."
The lead scion of the group stepped in to block me.
"And one more thing. There are times when your hand needs to be faster than your judgment."
"What are you talking about... Guh—!?"
Thwack!
I smacked him square in the jaw.