The Tale of A Man Who Believed That His Reincarnation Had Granted Him A Japanese Sword And The Greatest Battle Sense, Only To Have The God Finally Inform Him "Huh, I Didn't Give You Any Combat Sense… That's Scary…" - Episode 12

According to Mr. Utsuho, the distance from Lancaster to Redinbara can be covered in half a day by horse. If we ride through the night, we will soon arrive in Redinbara, but even so, it will be midnight when we get there, making it difficult to find a place to stay.

So, in the end, Utsuho-san and I set up camp once at the midpoint between Lainchester and Edinburgh, spent the night there, and resumed our journey on horseback in the morning.

“I had heard from Lady Lyra that you had been living in the forest for a long time, but it was true, wasn’t it, Enri-sama? Your setup and cleanup of the campsite were quite efficient and skillful.”

“Until I met Lyra, I had to do everything myself—starting fires, making beds, fetching water—so I naturally got better at it.”

The chirping of small birds, the sound of a nearby stream, the sound of horse hooves walking on a well-trodden path by many travelers, and looking up at the sky, not a single cloud in sight. This must be what they call perfect travel weather.

“By the way, I wasn’t able to explain the swordsmanship tournament yesterday after all. It might take a bit longer, but please allow me to explain.”

Despite being on horseback, Utsuho-san suddenly produced her glasses with a “clink” from seemingly nowhere and immediately entered lecture mode.

“The official name is the Retain Kingdom Foundation Memorial Special Swordsmanship Tournament, commonly shortened to the Swordsmanship Tournament.”

“It started as a way to honor the loyal knight Noel, who served the first king of the Retain Kingdom, and now it has become an event held once every twenty years.”

Crossing the bridge over the stream, passing over the muddy path marked by wagon tracks, simple streetlights begin to appear sporadically.

“The unique feature of this tournament is that it has two categories: the preliminary rounds and the main event. The preliminary rounds are held using blunted swords, while the main event is a life-threatening match where participants use their own swords.”

“For a long time, the Grosvenor family didn’t have any swordsmen who could achieve excellent results in swordsmanship tournaments, so I think Lady Lyra must have been very pleased to meet Lord Enri.”

“I see. But, Utsuho-san can fight too, right? So, wouldn’t it have been fine for Utsuho-san to participate as the swordsman of the Grosvenor family?”

Utsuho-san glanced at me briefly and said this.

“If I end up participating, none of my opponents will be able to arrive at the venue.”

Indeed, if Utsuho-san, as a former assassin from the Assassin Guild, were to use her abilities, she wouldn’t engage in inefficiently fighting head-on. From now on, let’s make sure not to anger Utsuho-san; if she were to attack in the bathroom or somewhere, we wouldn’t stand a chance.

“For the royal family of the kingdom and the merchant houses of the Five Great Merchants, this swordsmanship tournament is not just a place to compete in martial prowess, but also a venue to flaunt the prestige of having such strong swordsmen under their banner. The house to which the champion of the main event belongs will enjoy that glory for the next twenty years.”

“Haah~, it’s like, politics or something, or maybe it’s just a conversation that sounds smart or something…”

“Indeed. It is precisely a matter of governance, isn’t it? …I also prefer battles that can be settled with just a knife, if I had to choose.”

As we continued our conversation and moved forward on horseback, we finally arrived at Redinbara, where Lyra was waiting. Redinbara is surrounded by waterways, and it seems that to enter the town, one needs to have the drawbridge lowered from the inside. It could be likened to a moat in Japanese terms.

When Utsuho-san handed money to the guard managing the drawbridge, the sound of gears moving clanked, and the drawbridge was lowered for entry into the town. Upon entering the town, stalls were set up everywhere, selling items and snacks related to the swordsmanship tournament.

Lady Lyra’s mansion is here, and now I also live in Lainchester, which feels like a city centered around the bustling downtown. However, Redinbara has a certain elegance and a calm atmosphere. The buildings are unified in subdued colors, and the residences are lined up in an orderly manner. By the way, Lainchester is quite haphazardly constructed, with roads that suddenly narrow down, but it’s charming in its own way!

“This is Redinbara, isn’t it, Utsuho-san? It feels a bit more prestigious compared to Lainchester, doesn’t it? There’s a certain atmosphere.”

“You’re quite observant, Lord Enri. In fact, Redinbara is also famous as an ancient capital, and it is a city with a history of over a thousand years.”

An ancient capital, huh? If I were to compare it to Japan in my past life, it would be something like Kyoto. If I didn’t need to go to Lyra’s place right away, I’d like to do a bit of sightseeing.

“It’s an ancient city, huh? Wow… Oh, by the way, where is Lyra-san waiting?”

“Lady Lyra is staying in a suite room at the Roiji Hotel in the Cloud District of the central area of Redinbara. However, since she is likely moving around the city for business meetings during the day, it would be best to visit her at night.”

Oh, yay! It’s time for legal sightseeing. Alright, then I’ll ask Utsuho if she wants to tour Redinbara with me. …Oh, by the way, I don’t have any money.

“Utsuho-san! You’re going to the Roiji Hotel at night, right? Then how about we explore Redinbara together until nightfall? I want to try the restaurants you recommend, Utsuho-san.”

“Yes, of course, Lord Enri. If this Utsuho is acceptable, I would be happy to accompany you. Then, let’s leave the horses at the Roiji Hotel and take a stroll around the town.”

As I walked through the streets of Edinburgh, I came across a building that looked different from the others. While the other buildings in Edinburgh are at most two or three stories high, the building I saw was about six stories tall and, more importantly, very wide. It had a presence akin to a concert hall from my past life.

“Enri-sama. This is the Roiji Hotel where Lady Lyra is staying.”

With an overwhelming presence and a sense of pressure, we, Utsuho and I, arrived at a luxurious hotel that seemed like a place where a daughter of a large merchant family, like Miss Lyra, might stay. Utsuho, with a practiced demeanor, spoke to the hotel staff to have our horses taken care of, and then returned to me, who was still captivated by the hotel’s atmosphere.

“Well then, Lord Enri. Shall we go sightseeing in Edinburgh together?”

When Utsuho-san returned, she naturally approached me and stood almost right next to me, smiling cheerfully. Suddenly being approached by such a beautiful maid, I instinctively took a couple of steps back, but Utsuho-san didn’t mind and closed the distance I had created.

Step back, close in. Retreat, press forward. Keep distance, close the gap. Th-this maid… she’s playing with me… She’s like a beautiful maid, just like Utsuho-san, and she’s getting closer, making me instinctively step back… she’s playing with me…!

The beautiful people in this world come too close too easily! I get so nervous that it feels like my stomach is going to jump out of my mouth, and I might get the wrong idea, so they shouldn’t come too close…!

“Uh, Utsuho-san… you’re too close…! I was wondering if you could step back a bit.”

“No, no, it seems that Enri-sama is not yet accustomed to this kind of town. Therefore, I, the humble Utsuho, would like to assist you closely so that you do not get lost, Enri-sama.”

Utsuho-san, who was at least twenty centimeters taller than me, stuck closely to me from the right diagonal back, maintaining a distance where her breath occasionally brushed against my right ear or neck, and stubbornly refused to create any space between us.

In the end, I ended up being toyed with by Utsuho-san while touring Redinbara.