"I'll Catch Up Later, So Go On Ahead!" I Said, and Stayed Behind in the Dungeon for Five Years. When I Returned to the Royal Capital, for Some Reason, I Had Become a Great Criminal, So I Decided to Retire. But Outstanding People Keep Gathering Around Me Though... - Episode 7: Lisel’s Art
Episode 7: Lisel’s Art
“Then, here I come──!”
“Ah!”
Leo quickly closed the distance. The sensation of fighting—it had been a long time since I felt it. But my eyes accurately captured the opponent’s movements. As expected, the habitual things remained.
“Haah!”
“Muh!”
Wooden swords clashed fiercely between us. If you’re skilled, you can grasp your opponent’s capabilities to some extent. Leo was young. But his swordsmanship was outstanding. Since we weren’t fighting seriously, I couldn’t see the bottom of his abilities.
“You’re good!”
“You too!”
We accelerated further. Every single move, every step—it was all refined. So this is what they call genius. But I have overwhelming experience. It’s not beauty I seek, but the techniques to survive. Then it turned into something like a clash of guards. And both of our wooden swords bounced off each other strongly.
We took some distance, and Leo lowered his sword.
“Shall we leave it at this?”
“Ah, yeah.”
If we continued, it wouldn’t have been strange for it to turn into a deadly fight. It was only a moment. But this sparring was of such a high level. I see. The world really is wide, I thought.
“Haru-san. You said you’re a former adventurer, but weren’t you actually a high-ranked one?”
“No, nothing like that.”
“Heh, is that so.”
“Leo, your sword was amazing too. To have such skill at your age. I’m sure you can reach even greater heights.”
“Thank you. I’ll keep working hard.”
As he left, Leo turned back and called out to me.
“Haru-san, can I ask to spar again?”
“Ah. I usually run around here in the mornings. If our timing matches. Though I have work at the bakery afterward, so not for long.”
“That’s fine. See you again.”
With a bright smile, Leo gallantly left.
“Alright. I should get going too.”
I’d worked up a light sweat. So I quickly changed and went to the bakery.
†
“Leonhart-sama!”
“Hm? Ah, good morning, Fio.”
“Geez! Where did you go off to?!”
“Just a light walk.”
“Please stop moving around on your own! You are──the Sword Saint!”
Yes. The true name of the Leo who just sparred with Haru──was Sword Saint Leonhart.
Half a year ago, a fifteen-year-old youth succeeded the previous Sword Saint, who had retired. The title of Sword Saint isn’t hereditary—it is passed to someone the current Sword Saint acknowledges. In other words, Leonhart was recognized by the previous Sword Saint.
Assisting the Sword Saint is a woman named Fio. She wore a pale grayish-purple robe and small silver-rimmed glasses. Her black hair was beautifully tied and modestly gathered at the nape of her neck.
“Haha. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
“Haa… Honestly. So, did you find anything about the case of the Disaster Fang Beast – Orug?”
“Hmm.”
Leonhart touched his chin. He was pretending to think. Sword Saint Leonhart had been ordered by the kingdom to subjugate the Disaster Fang Beast – Orug. However, the enemy disappeared. It left only drop items behind. Currently, various kingdom organizations were investigating.
The threat of the Disaster Fang Beast – Orug had shaken the capital and required the mobilization of all the kingdom’s forces. Sending in Sword Saint Leonhart was that serious—it meant no one else could defeat it.
And yet, it had been defeated easily. Just who could have done it──within the kingdom, various organizations had begun moving to secretly identify this individual.
Of course, Haru himself had no idea about any of this──.
“Well, maybe.”
“Maybe……!? You found a clue?!”
“I’m not telling you, Fio~”
“Ha!? What’s that supposed to mean?!”
“Come on now. There’s no more threat, so it’s not that urgent.”
“…That may be true, but still……”
“Alright, let’s head back to the capital.”
“Understood. Also, ever since the new king ascended, there’ve been odd movements. Let’s stay sharp.”
“Ah. I’ll keep that in mind too.”
It wasn’t certain. But even with the eyes that had frightened the previous Sword Saint, Leonhart couldn’t see through Haru’s depths. Smiling, Leonhart thought:
(Yeah. I might visit that bakery one of these days──)
†
“Welcome, Haru.”
“Boss. What did you want to talk about?”
Today’s business had ended. And Lisel was in the middle of cooking dinner. It seemed like hamburg steak today. A delicious, savory aroma was already wafting through.
“Tomorrow, Lisel is going to present a new creation for tasting.”
“I see. She gave me a rough idea about it.”
She had told me she was working on something new recently.
“But is there a reason you’re telling me directly? Judging from your expression…”
“You’re sharp. Listen. No matter what happens, praise it. Don’t deny it. I’ll make the final judgment. Haru, you just quietly say ‘tasty’ and ‘good’. Got it?”
“Y-yes……”
I’d never seen the boss this tense before. W-what in the world is going to happen tomorrow……? I braced myself as the next day came.
“Lisel-san! Good morning!”
“Ah. Morning.”
Lisel greeted me with a more dazzling smile than usual. But the boss was working silently in the kitchen. He seemed to be sweating coldly. It was an unfamiliar, odd atmosphere.
“As I mentioned the other day, I’ll be showing you the new creation I’ve been thinking about! Please give me your honest opinion, Haru-san!”
“Y-yeah……”
I had a bad feeling. I glanced at the boss, who solemnly nodded. Just what’s about to happen……? The boss and I silently waited for Lisel’s new bread.
“It’s done baking!”
The smell wasn’t bad. But the bread placed before us──was a monstrosity. The dough was a marble of indigo and purple. The baked result looked like some kind of grotesque sea creature from the deep.
It was spherical. But from the outer edges, ten long, twisted dough strands curled and stretched out. In the center, a sphere-shaped topping with black cheese as the core.
Because it looked like an eye, it felt like the bread was glaring at us. The appearance was so ominous, it resembled a monster from Abyss Sanctum.
No……there’s no way we can serve something that looks like this……
“Go ahead, please!”
“Let’s eat.”
“Let’s eat……”
The boss and I took bites of the monstrosity. Tearing off a tentacle-like piece, black cheese oozed out. W-why is it black……? But the taste wasn’t bad. Precisely because it wasn’t bad, the strange appearance was even more noticeable.
“Haru-san! How is it? Is it tasty?”
“Y-yeah. It’s tasty.”
“Dad, what about you?”
“The taste isn’t bad.”
“Yay! Then can I put my new bread in the store?”
B-boss……! We can’t seriously put that out front……! I gave him a protesting look.
“No, you can’t.”
“Eh? Why not?”
“The bake is weak, and the flavor is flat. It’s just ‘not bad’ at best.”
“Hmm. I see… when I pursue originality, the flavor tends to suffer. But the appearance is good, right?”
“Yeah.”
“──!!!!??”
Boss……!? You’re praising that grotesque look……!? I was shocked. If that went on display, the bakery’s reputation would plummet…! Children might cry if they saw it…! I wanted to say that. But I couldn’t. Because Lisel kept smiling, looking so happy. I couldn’t steal that smile from her.
“Alright, I’ll have you try my next new creation too, okay? Dad, Haru-san!”
“Yeah.”
“Y-yeah.”
With that, Lisel went to arrange the day’s bread on the counter. Only the boss and I were left.
“B-boss… what was that……?”
“To be honest, Lisel’s baking isn’t bad. But her sense of appearance is hopeless… That’s something you can’t gain with effort…”
“Right. Honestly, if we put that out, customers would cry. Though, I guess it could be seen as avant-garde art. Still, shouldn’t you tell her that?”
“……Could you say that to a daughter smiling like that?”
“Ahh… true. But eventually, she has to become aware of it herself.”
“Ugh… w-well, someday. Haru, back to work.”
“Understood.”
And so, I learned a surprising side of Lisel. And the boss was unexpectedly soft when it came to his daughter.
However, this story of Lisel’s art bread would take an unexpected turn. Though I didn’t know that yet──.
As usual, I greeted customers cheerfully. I’d gotten completely used to it.
“Welcome!”
The one who entered was a small girl. She wore a large hat and a robe of black and navy. The decorations were modest. But star patterns ran along the sleeves and hem. She wore a pouch for a magic book at her waist. And a belt with magical tools was hanging from it.
Jet-black hair and deep purple eyes. No──could it be, she’s…… I knew even before she spoke. Unlike Felina or Estelle who had grown, she hadn’t changed at all.
“Hmph. Still a tiny shop, I see.”
She was once a fellow party member──the Great Mage, Charlotte.
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