The Great Sage Who Did not Remain in Legend - 12.1

Rose began to talk about her background.

“My family originally came from a lineage of lumberjacks. It seems they greatly contributed to the kingdom’s founding by supplying timber, which earned them nobility status.”

“So, your family is an ancient noble lineage.”

“Hmph, noble lineage… Indeed, we’ve been nobles for a long time, but we’re a poor baronial family without any land. Even a million G that a hunter might casually throw around is a fortune to me.”

“So, not all nobles are rich.”

“Exactly. While there’s a noble stipend, it’s decent, but the expenses are high. Those who don’t inherit a title have to find work. The money we get isn’t much better than commoners.”

“I see, I didn’t know that.”

“Originally, we worked with lumber, but now each lord handles it. Our family’s significance has faded away. Instead, many skilled with swords have become knights in place of axes. Both my second brother and younger brother have taken up knighthood.”

“So, did you become a knight too, Rose?”

“I became a squire at fifteen. While my peers and those who joined later steadily became knights, my apprenticeship lasted longer. It was only last year that I finally became a full-fledged knight.”

“Were you outmatched by your peers in skill?”

“No, I think it was because I’m a woman…”

“That must have been frustrating.”

“But, I finally became a knight.”

“That’s great.”

“However, once I actually became a knight, I found it hard to compete with male knights… I thought I was held back because I’m a woman, but maybe I just lacked the skill…”

Rose lowered her eyes, realizing the difference with male knights wasn’t just discrimination she thought she faced.

“Well, if you compete with men who are putting in the same effort, you might have a tough time in terms of strength.”

“That seems to be the case…”

“But battles aren’t just about strength. Is the longsword the only weapon for knights?”

“No, there are spears too, but longswords are common.”

“Are there other female knights?”

“There are, but they usually serve as guards or caretakers for noblewomen. Some are used to improve the image of commoners.”

“Are you aiming to be a true knight, not just a figurehead?”

“Yes.”

“Rose is beautiful. It’s likely she refused to become a mascot when her companions told her to.”

“If weapons aren’t fixed, why not use a rapier or saber?”

“The shopkeeper isn’t very knowledgeable about weapons, so I’ll tell you this: it’s impossible to take a longsword attack with a rapier. Also, rapiers are difficult to handle because they’re long. It’s also possible that the blade won’t cut when the enemy is wearing armor.”

“Do you ride horses, Rose?”

“No, that’s different. I aim to be in the bodyguard unit.”

“Then, how about this weapon?”

Mergin took out a slightly unusual sword like a rapier from the item box.

“Wha… where did you get that from?”

“Don’t ask too much. If you can use this in the knight’s unit, I’ll give it to you.”

“Th-this is…”

“It’s something I used a long time ago. The center of gravity is at the hand, so it feels lighter than it actually is. Most of the sword is single-edged despite being double-edged at the tip. When using this, avoid or block the attack with the edgeless side when necessary.”

“It’s light…”

“It’s true, right? This sword was forged by combining different types of iron with special properties, so it cuts well and is hard to break.”