Reverse Blade Sword (2)
"By the way, old master, what’s your name?"
It was a bit ridiculous when I thought about it.
I'd smashed armor worth tens of thousands of nics here, commissioned a sword, and nearly brought the whole forge down—and we hadn't even exchanged names the whole time.
The old man seemed to be thinking the same thing, nodding as he spoke.
"Hm? Oh, right. Come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves yet."
Were there boomers in this novel's world too? Even after saying that, the old man didn't give his name first.
No helping it—I'd have to be the mature one and introduce myself first.
"Ian Bar Tow, junior baronet. Looking forward to working with you."
"Otar Goldsmith. I'm a count by title, but no land comes with it, so don't fuss over it."
"I wouldn't even if you had land."
I was already picking fights with a countess who did have land—why would I care about some landless count?
"That arrogance of yours is gonna get you hurt bad someday. You think you're the only genius in the world?"
"Sure, there are probably plenty more besides me."
Dragging those geniuses down and proving the supremacy of Battōjutsu—that was why I'd enrolled in the Royal Academy.
Hell, I wished they'd come smash my high nose sooner rather than later.
"By the way, old master—speaking of geniuses, do you know anything about the next Sword Saint?"
It was a shot in the dark, but a master craftsman like Otar, holed up in a backwater like this, might have some intel.
"Oh, that one?"
My hunch was spot on—Otar answered with a casual, nonchalant expression.
"Remember that White Rose you smashed earlier? The client who ordered it was none other than the next Sword Saint."
"White Rose?!"
Learning that the White Rose I'd turned into a rag was commissioned by the next Sword Saint had me cheering inwardly.
I'd been racking my brain on how to pick a fight with her, and now opportunity had dropped right in my lap.
"Where is she now?!"
If she knew I'd wrecked her White Rose, she'd definitely hold a grudge!
The thought that I could finally check off one of my reasons for entering the academy had me buzzing—I couldn't hold back the rapid-fire questions.
"If she finds out I smashed her White Rose, you think she'll come for revenge?! Should I go throw the raggy remains at her to piss her off more?! What if her little sister jumps in too—?!"
"Shut it! You're giving me a headache—zip it!!"
Otar raised the hand gripping his hammer, and I clamped my mouth shut.
"Ugh... Haven't yelled like that in ages. My throat hurts."
"......So, you think she'll come for revenge?"
"You think the next Sword Saint's the petty type? Nah, if anything, she'd take an interest in a good way. More than that..."
She was off on a trip right now, he said, and I couldn't believe my ears.
"Wait, new semester just started—why's she traveling?"
"You think there's anyone at this academy who could teach the next Sword Saint swordsmanship?"
Even in the kingdom's top academy, packed with the finest educators, no one could teach her.
"That girl's got talent, sure—but she's already a near-perfect swordswoman."
She'd naturally reached the Sword Master realm already. Training and spars were pointless now; she just needed real combat experience.
It wasn't really a "trip"—wherever she went, it was monster-infested hellholes uninhabitable by humans.
For her, stacking battle experience beat academy drills hands down.
"How do I stack up against her?"
"Just my subjective guess, but she'd probably edge you out."
"Hmm..."
Coming from anyone else, I'd have blown it off. But Otar knew his swordplay, so I took it seriously.
No matter how supreme Battōjutsu was, a weak wielder could still lose.
But wouldn't that make it even better?
If I, with my inferior physical stats, beat her—it'd prove Battōjutsu's superiority!!
But she wasn't coming anytime soon, so I asked about her little sister, Rain.
"What about the sister?"
"Hm... It's iffy."
Iffy? Did that mean the sister was strong enough that even Otar couldn't call the match against me?!
"Sounds promising!! Is the sister that strong too?!"
"Huh? Oh, my bad—I worded that poorly. Not strong, just... ambiguously talented."
"Ambiguously talented?"
"Their father—the current Sword Saint—told me once."
"The Sword Saint?"
"Yeah. Said the older one's a once-in-a-millennium talent, maybe. The younger? Once every fifteen years, maybe."
"......Fifteen years?"
Fifteen years wasn't short, but calling it a "talent" that rare felt... meh.
"Not bad, but not phenomenal either. He was actually relieved."
The Sword Saint title went to pure skill, not birth order. If siblings were close, it came down to duels.
Plenty died deciding the Sword Saint, but they couldn't stop—strength demanded it.
When Rain was born, the Sword Saint worried it might spark family tragedy. Luckily, it didn't.
Rain's talent lagged far behind her sister's.
"Probably the only dad who'd be glad his kid lacked talent."
"No late-bloomer potential? Or hiding her strength?"
"Think the Sword Saint wouldn't notice?"
"......Fair point."
He might've turned a blind eye to avert tragedy, but the Sword Saint was a noble first.
He wouldn't shirk his duty for that.
So what’s Rain’s deal, then?
In the original story, Leon had no older brother, no sisters, no younger siblings at all.
If Rain wasn't filling Leon's role in this world, it had to be the sister—but she wasn't even at the academy.
Current year matched the story's, so no time-skip possession either.
IF route with no protagonist? Or same world, different story?
Come to think of it, he'd said to try it myself—never mentioned adding it to his novel.
So who the hell do I prove Battōjutsu against...?
Guess I'd have to bait Jessica, then take down her dad.
"Anyway, old master, it's late—I'll head out."
"Yeah. Forgot to mention: we'll be moving the forge soon. I'll send word once it's set. Don't come by till then."
Thanks to my Battōjutsu earlier, the whole place creaked like it might collapse any second.
"Got it. Send word when it's ready."
With a quick farewell, I left the forge and headed to a general store for tomorrow's prep.
After buying letter envelopes and sundries, on my way back to the academy—
"J-Ju— No, Ian!"
I ran into Hori in the distance, arms full with a massive bag of stuff.
She hadn't heard the rumors yet—waving innocently, no sign she'd bashed a guy's head in with a rock.
I quickly scanned for academy students, then approached.
"Hori. Come with me a sec."
"Huh?!"
Grabbing her bewildered hand, I pulled her into a nearby alley.
I'd checked for students, but better safe.
"Um..."
Once inside, Hori stared at me blankly.
Anyone'd be startled if I suddenly yanked their wrist.
"Sorry for being rough. But if other people see us, it could get tricky."
"Other people?"
"Yeah. My situation right now... it might drag bystanders down too."
I gave her a super-condensed rundown of events since we parted. Hori's calm face drained to pale blue.
"Wh-why'd you do that?! Apologize now before—!!"
"Apologizing defeats the point of picking the fight."
This beef would end either with Jessica giving up and ignoring me, or me unleashing Battōjutsu on her dad.
"Anyway, that's how it is. Don't talk to me at the academy, got it?"
"......Okay."
"Good. So what's with all that?"
To change the subject, I nodded at her bag. Hori glanced at it.
"Materials for potions I'm supplying to the local general store. Alchemy Guild hooked me up."
The academy was founded to train national assets—tuition and dorms free for admits. Living expenses? On you.
Unlike nobles with family stipends, commoners hustled for cash.
Even poor nobles like me sometimes played adventurer to scrape by.
"Nice—you found work quick. Happy for you."
"Thanks. Did you switch swords?"
"Huh? You can tell?!"
We'd traveled together to the academy, sure—but spotting a sword change in this dim light?
"You've got sharp eyes, Hori."
"Dad always said so too. The scabbard's color looks different..."
"Heh... It's not just the scabbard."
Thanks to Jessica's scheming, I'd been a total outcast since day one—no one to brag to about my Reverse Blade Sword.
But Hori brought it up—perfect chance to show it off.
I drew it. Hori squinted at my Yoroi-doshi, pointing at the blade.
"This sword... the edge doesn't look sharp?"
"Right—that's what makes it a reverse blade sword."
"Reverse blade sword? Oh, the back edge is sharp. But why make it like this...?"
"Reverse blade swords are for spars or captures—non-lethal stuff."
"I get that, but... if it's non-lethal, why sharpen the back edge...?"
"You need it."
"Huh?"
You needed that back edge.
Because that's what made it a reverse blade sword.