The Great Sage Who Did not Remain in Legend - 42.3

“This place is peaceful, right? But I feel like strong monsters might appear soon.”

“Is that true?”

“Probably. In the fall, I was attacked by wolves on the road from Lionel to the royal capital. There were only five wolves, and they looked pretty skinny, so I think they lost a territory battle and fled. If only the wolf territory was taken, there’s not much to worry about, but if they were pushed out one by one from deeper inside, the ones at the back must be quite strong. They might come here looking for food eventually.”

“Hmm…”

“Well, the royal capital has hunters, guards, knights, and soldiers, so it should be fine. The regional cities might be in trouble, though.”

“I see… That’s bad.”

“I think if something unusual happens, it would be good to escape here. Like if animals suddenly disappear or start moving all at once.”

“Could that happen?”

“Animals are sensitive. If the usual orc camp disappears, that’s a sign.”

“Have you reported this to the Hunter’s Guild?”

“This is common knowledge, right?”

“No, relay that to Rikka and have them report it to the guild.”

“Alright, but sure.”

“I’ll arrange the kids’ equipment here. Just getting some scales will be a huge gain for us.”

“Please make it as light as possible. They aren’t strong yet, but they’re quite good at concealing their presence and hiding.”

“Got it. Bring them here soon.”

“Understood.”

“One more thing: are you a swordsman?”

“No. I can use a sword, but only at a decent level. That’s why I don’t carry one. I like seeing and owning good swords, but it feels sad if they aren’t used.”

“Decent, huh… Let me see you hold this and get into stance.”

“Sure, but why?”

“Just swing it and let me know your thoughts. You understand swords a bit, right?”

“Well, swords are a man’s romance, after all.”

Mergin drew the long sword with a whoosh and swung it down.

This…

The old man was surprised by Mergin’s sword skills.

“Are you a soldier?”

“You figured it out. I’m not a soldier, but the one who taught me was.”

“Have you ever killed anyone?”

“Hmm, no. Why?”

“Just asking. So, what do you think of that sword?”

“Can I speak honestly?”

“Go ahead.”

“It looks nice, but I think the weight balance is off. I wonder if the creator was unsure whether to prioritize power or speed. It feels like there’s no intention behind how they want the sword to be used. And is the center misaligned? I found it hard to swing through. If it’s meant to be sold as a general-use item, it’s probably okay, but for a custom piece, it might not be good. I guess someone might want a sword like this, but I wouldn’t buy it. Is this a prototype from one of your disciples or someone?”

“Did you figure all that out from just one swing?”

“The person who taught me swords liked things like this. He made me swing everything from good to bad to special items and talked endlessly about how each one worked. That was actually quite fun.”