We’re nearly half way through now.
Chapter 13: The Imprisoned Ice
The enemy all cast magic at once. Spears of ice were launched straight at me.
I struck them all down with Amajiki, even though it wasn’t fully unleashed.
“Oh? Not bad. Then let’s pick up the pace.”
Spears of ice rained down like a storm. I cut through every one of them. The shattered fragments danced in the air like snowflakes.
Amid the softly drifting ice, I stood still and calm.
“──Now, let’s go offensive.”
I accelerated, hidden by the darkness of night.
One by one, I cut through them with Amajiki. While I couldn’t cut them down completely due to their magical defenses, I was certainly dealing damage.
“You’re pretty good…!”
I closed in on the leader and swung Amajiki down hard from above. He thrust his right hand out, forming a wall of ice. But I had anticipated his defense.
I stabbed my blade into the wall, let go of it, and quickly delivered a sharp kick to his side.
After all, the sword isn’t my only weapon.
“Guh… ugh…!”
He rolled away, but managed to land gracefully. As expected, unlike Eric, this one’s experienced in combat.
“Still want to keep going?”
“Fu-Fufu I’ve gathered enough data. We’ll take our leave now. Sooner or later, you’ll come to understand the essence of magic.”
With those words, the five magic users disappeared without a trace.
“Ayame-san… just now, those people──”
“I don’t know. But it seems there are still plenty of people who don’t like me.”
I had just brushed against a sliver of the darkness lurking in Magaheim. But I wasn’t afraid. If anyone hates that I’m a swordsman, they can come try to kill me.
I’ll cut down all threats without hesitation.
†
After my duel with the Sword Saint, we were attacked by unknown assailants.
Since their target was me and not Luna, I was somewhat relieved. As long as they’re after me, I can handle it with my cursed blade.
Today, I was acting separately from Luna and had come to the Adventurers’ Guild.
Luna said she had things to do at home, though she didn’t say what. She seemed to be hiding something, but I wasn’t nosy enough to press her.
“Hey, look! That guy took down a griffin!”
“No way!? That’s an S-rank monster!”
“Seriously. And rumor has it he even beat Eric from the Carter family.”
“For real…? Don’t tell me he’s at Sword Saint level?”
Hmm. My reputation has taken quite a turn.
Before, I was looked down on just for being a swordsman. But now, they seem to fear me as something mysterious and unknown.
“Welcome, Ayame-sama.”
“Ah. Regarding the griffin, have you finished the conversion?”
“Yes. You wanted to convert all the materials to cash, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Understood. Here’s your payment.”
I had come to the guild today to collect the reward for defeating the griffin. Originally, I was planning to gather ore. I never expected things to turn out like this.
And then, I received a sack of coins.
It was fairly heavy. Peeking inside, I saw it was filled with gold coins.
“Sorry, but how much is this worth?”
“Roughly enough to buy a large estate in the capital, I’d say.”
“Would I be able to live comfortably?”
“Not for a lifetime, but you’d be set for several decades at least.”
“Is it really okay to receive this much?”
Honestly, I felt it was a bit excessive.
I may not know the political situation well, but I understand that this kingdom is one of the most prosperous in the world.
Being able to buy a mansion in the capital, or live comfortably for decades—that kind of money is overwhelming, even for me.
“Of course! Due to recent monster activity, there’ve been many irregularities. High-ranking monsters have appeared on the upper floors, and several adventurers have died. There was even talk of dispatching the Mage Corps. Thanks to you, we were saved. This reward is more than deserved.”
“I see. If it helps people, I’m glad.”
“Also, regarding your rank…”
“Ah. Will it go up?”
If my adventurer rank goes up, I can accept higher-difficulty quests. That would be very beneficial to me.
“Since you defeated an S-rank monster, we’d like to promote you to S-rank, but… you haven’t cleared enough quests yet, to be honest…”
“Hmm. I suppose the number of completed quests is an important factor too.”
“Exactly. So for now, the higher-ups have decided to promote you to A-rank.”
“That’s good enough. With A-rank, I can go below the twentieth floor, right?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
I expected it to take more time, but I’m pleased to be able to tackle harder quests. Facing off against monsters like that griffin isn’t a bad way to hone my skills.
“Did you hear!?”
“A-rank!?”
“The fastest promotion since the Sword Saint, isn’t it?”
The murmurs spread. They must’ve overheard our conversation.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes. We look forward to serving you again. And… here, this is my contact information.”
“Hm? I appreciate it, but why?”
The receptionist discreetly slipped me a small piece of paper so no one else would notice.
“I figured things must be tough for a swordsman. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”
“Oh. I see. Thank you for the support.”
“Not at all.”
She gripped my hand tightly, her eyes sparkling for some reason. She’s probably just very dedicated to her job.[TN: Brother, she wasn’t only dedicated to her job]
†
“That was an incredible sword…”
As I hurried home from my teacher’s place, I found myself thinking about that swordsman—Ayame-san.
My teacher is a genius. His sword style is one-of-a-kind and impossible to imitate. But Ayame-san didn’t reach his level through genius. He reached it through sheer effort and experience.
I may have talent in magic, but my talent with the sword is average. For someone like me, his sword shone brilliantly. Because I love swordsmanship just as much as I love magic.
Honestly, I wanted him to teach me. It’s not every day you get a chance to learn from someone that skilled. But with my status—as a member of one of the Elements—learning the sword is strictly forbidden.
All I could do was secretly train under my teacher. Even now, I carve out time in secret to receive lessons in swordsmanship from him.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome back, Riana.”
“Yes, Mother.”
I, Riana Grace, the eldest daughter of the Grace family, am currently a member of the Mage Corps. I graduated top of my class from the Magic Academy this year, and afterward joined the Corps.
Though, that wasn’t a path I chose for myself.
“Your father and Grey are waiting. Go to them now.”
“Yes.”
I headed to my father’s study. After knocking lightly, his voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me.”
Waiting inside were my father and older brother. Both were excellent mages, but I never liked either of them very much.
“Now that we’re all here. Grey already knows, but Riana—did you hear about the Carter heir being defeated by a swordsman?”
“No, this is my first time hearing it.”
Eric, defeated by a swordsman? I could hardly believe it. He was arrogant, prideful—a perfect example of all the worst traits of a noble—but I did recognize his skill.
At the Academy, we were in the same year. He graduated second, just behind me.
He was practically guaranteed a position in the Mage Corps too.
“We’re going to assess that swordsman.”
“Assess him…?”
“Yes. In the council of the Elements, it was decided that our unit would investigate.”
To send an entire unit over one swordsman… I thought it excessive, but I kept those thoughts to myself.
“Riana. We’re deploying the Frost Squadron. You’re coming too.”
“Yes, brother.”
The Frost Squadron is a special mage unit composed of members from the Grace family and our relatives. Every member is A-rank or higher, and they all specialize in ice magic.
“Grey and I have already discussed it. We’ll frame this swordsman as the Ripper.”
“…You’re forging the truth? But he wasn’t the one responsible, was he?”
From the wounds, it was clear a mage—not a swordsman—had done it.
“We need to present something to the public. The real one can be handled in secret.”
“I see…”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“No. This is a noble’s duty, after all.”
“Exactly. You’re starting to understand at last.”
My father smiled with satisfaction.
If I stay in this house much longer, I feel like I’ll rot from the inside.
But leaving isn’t allowed. That’s the duty of a Duke’s daughter.
At that moment, my thoughts of Ayame-san had completely vanished under the weight of my father’s schemes. If I had stayed calm, I would have realized the truth right away.
And soon, I would reunite with him— in the worst possible way.
Chapter 14 : A Modest Daily Life
I continued to defeat monsters in the dungeon, steadily accumulating achievements. If things continued like this, I might soon become an S-rank adventurer.
Among swordsmen, only the Sword Saint has achieved S-rank, which is truly a remarkable feat.
For me, reaching S-rank would allow me to challenge new floors, and personally, I found that much more exciting.
Now, the guild’s perspective has also lessened any disdain toward me.
“Hey.”
“Is that the swordsman from the Far East?”
“He’s on a meteoric rise, huh? I hear he’s close to S-rank.”
“Really?! It’s been since the Sword Saint for a swordsman to reach S-rank.”
“Yeah. He was a genuine powerhouse.”
“Who would have thought such a guy exists? The world is big.”
The magicians are talking about me.
However, some of the mages still seem displeased by my rise, giving me sharp looks, probably because they dislike my rapid progress.
I left the adventurer guild and decided to buy the food Luna asked me to get.
“Let’s see…”
I had enough money; there was no way I would lack funds.
“Welcome! What will you have?”
The stocky shopkeeper responded, and I handed him a note.
“These are the things I need. Please take care of them.”
“Got it!”
Being used to it, they quickly packed the food into a bag. There was fresh meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit overflowing here.
Having experienced famine in my previous world, I must be grateful for having this much food.
“Will this be enough?”
I offered a gold coin.
“No no, this is way more than enough. Hold on – you’re getting a lot of change back.”
“Sorry for the trouble”
And I received several silver coins and copper coins. I’m still unaccustomed to the currency system in this world, but I’ll learn over time.
“Well then, excuse me,”
“Thanks for your business!”
Just as I was about to leave the shop, I noticed a man in front of me holding his foot.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. Sorry. I just got new shoes, but they don’t seem to fit.”
“Blisters, huh? Still, that looks painful.”
“Yes. Before I realized it, the blood had started to seep through.”
They were clearly high-quality leather shoes—but completely stained with blood now.
“Where are you headed? Let me help.”
“Is that okay?”
“Of course. I have time to spare.”
I offered him my shoulder, and we started walking together.
“Sorry to trouble you like this.”
“It’s no trouble.”
“It’s not far from here, thankfully.”
He said that if we just continued straight, we’d reach his home. But this area was clearly lined with luxurious estates. From his appearance and speech, everything about him was refined—he was unmistakably a noble.
And yet, even though he knew I was a swordsman, I never once felt that condescending gaze I so often received from nobles.
“You’re a swordsman, aren’t you?”
“I am. And you’re a noble, right?”
“Yes. I belong to a Count’s family.”
“I see. I’m surprised—a noble who doesn’t look down on swordsmen.”
“Haha. I suppose that’s rare. The ideology of magic supremacy runs deep. Most nobles probably do look down on swordsmen.”
So why was he different? I was curious and decided to ask.
“Why don’t you look down on swordsmen?”
“Magic and swordsmanship are both just forms of skill. Sure, there may be differences in strength, but there’s no real difference between people themselves. We’re all the same humans from the moment we’re born. People just assume superiority because their abilities happen to be more socially valued. But in essence, we are no different. In another era, the values could be reversed. It’s only by coincidence that magic is admired at this time.”
I was surprised by how logical and well-thought-out his perspective was. I didn’t expect a noble to have such views. So not all nobles are fools, after all.
“That’s an admirable way of thinking.”
“Thank you. Though among the nobility, I’m often seen as an oddball and shunned for it.”
He chuckled awkwardly. Until now, I’d only ever associated nobles with oppression, so someone like him felt… refreshing.
After a while, we arrived in a clearly more opulent district. The estates here were enormous, with vast plots of land.
“This is it. Thank you very much for your help.”
“No need to thank me.”
“Here—these are some baked sweets I bought earlier at the street market. Please, take them.”
I had noticed the paper bag in his left hand—it had been baked goods?
“Are you sure? You weren’t planning to give them to me originally, were you?”
“They were just for my own enjoyment, so it’s no problem. Please, accept them.”
“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”
“Great. Well then, until we meet again.”
“Yes.”
That’s where we parted ways.
“Ah, that’s right…”
Just as he was leaving, he suddenly muttered something.
“I’m sure we’ll meet again, Ayame-san. I look forward to that day.”
With those words, he turned and walked toward the mansion.
I didn’t think much of it and continued on my way to Luna’s house. But on the way, I realized something.
“Wait. Did I ever tell him my name?”
Now that I thought about it, we never introduced ourselves.
So how did he know my name?
Well, good or bad, my name has been spreading lately. Maybe he just heard it somewhere.
Not thinking too deeply about it, I resumed my walk home.
†
“Welcome home, Ayame-san!”
“I’m back. Here are the groceries and the money you asked for.”
I handed Luna the groceries and the money, and she accepted them with a happy smile.
By now, this house had started to accumulate more things. It was only natural since I was living here as a guest, but I couldn’t thank Luna enough for letting me stay.
“Um… about the money, I still think that—”
“You manage it, Luna. I still don’t really understand this kingdom’s currency, and I’ve never been good with that sort of thing. But if you really don’t want to, I’ll try my best.”
“N-No! I’m actually pretty good with budgeting and keeping household accounts, so it’s fine! It’s just… the amount is kind of enormous…”
“Ah. So our savings have grown, huh?”
“Umm… well… enough to buy a large mansion in a prime location outright…”
Luna’s expression turned serious. Judging by her reaction, it must really be a huge amount of money.
“Then maybe we should move soon. Use my money for everything.”
“Eh!? Are you sure!?”
“Of course. I’ve left all the household matters to you. This is the least I can do.”
It was only natural to give something back to Luna. After all, I could do nothing but swing a sword.
“E-Hehe… it almost feels like we’re a married couple…”
Luna muttered under her breath, smiling joyfully. She must be really happy about the idea of moving. I’m glad.
After that, we had dinner. Thanks to our financial stability lately, our meals have been quite luxurious.
“Tonight’s meal is beef stew!”
“Beef stew, huh? This is my first time having it.”
Lately, I found myself constantly amazed by Luna’s cooking. I was enjoying the differences in food culture—but honestly, I might already be addicted to it.
“Mm…!?”
“How is it?”
I took a spoonful and brought it to my mouth. Delicious! It tasted like all the ingredients had been perfectly condensed into one rich flavor. The texture was smooth, and it went down easily. Luna’s cooking really is the best.
“This is incredible. Your skill amazes me. You should become a chef.”
“No way, I’m not that good. But… maybe I’d consider being your personal chef…”
Luna glanced up at me with a sly, searching look.
“Haha. That would be an honor.”
“…Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”
“Hmm?”
She seemed a little down all of a sudden. I wondered why.
After we finished eating, we took a bath and went to bed. I still slept on the floor. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I noticed Luna still had a light on and was reading a book.
“Ah, sorry. Am I bothering you?”
“No, not at all. I was just curious.”
I noticed the pages were filled with complex formulas. Was it a magic textbook?
“It’s a book on magic. I’m studying because I want to catch up to you, Ayame-san.”
“I see. It’s a great thing to strive for. And you’re very observant too, Luna.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You watch both me and our enemies closely and use your magic appropriately. You’re calm under pressure, too—I think you’re well-suited to being an adventurer.”
“That makes me so happy…! I’ve never had much confidence in myself.”
This wasn’t just flattery. As Luna herself had said before, her support magic was incredibly accurate and effective. And as I’d pointed out, she had a good eye for her surroundings.
She helped me out in more ways than I could count.
“Well, I’m going to sleep now. Keep up the good work.”
“I will!”
And with that, I lay down and drifted off to sleep—hoping that Luna’s hard work would pay off one day.