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 23

After finding a lovely bar in Edinburgh and returning to the Roji Hotel, I went back to my room, washed my body lightly, and then dove straight into bed. The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and saw Utsuho-san right after getting up.

Utsuho is peacefully sleeping on my chest, her green hair swaying gently as she breathes steadily. Why is Utsuho in my room? Didn’t I lock the door before going to bed? I threw the clothes that Sophia made for me around the room before sleeping, will Utsuho get angry? After indulging in a good thirty seconds of escapism, questions swirl around in my mind: why, how, and for what reason?

However, for some reason, among the swirling emotions, the first one that emerged was a feeling of nostalgia.

In my previous life, I was an only child, and I had never experienced the wonderful event of someone sleeping on top of me like a rom-com protagonist, but for some reason, I thought that.

My hand moved naturally, and my fingers followed. It felt like a gesture repeated dozen, even hundreds of times, evoking a nostalgia for memories I couldn’t quite recall. With that sentiment, I gently stroked Utsuho’s head.

“Brother…”

As I stroked Utsuho-san’s hair, who was sleeping on my chest, she murmured softly. When she mentioned “nii-sama,” her face was a mix of sadness and suffering, not at all the face of someone having a happy dream.

Brother, huh? Could it be that Utsuho-san has an older brother or something? …However, among the beast-like people, known as beastmen, I haven’t seen anyone other than Utsuho-san who has had their tail or ears cut off. Surely, there must be something in her past that she doesn’t want to delve into too deeply.

To wake Utsuho, who has a pained and sad, ambiguous expression, from her dream, I gently place my hand on her shoulder and pat it softly. After repeating this a few times, Utsuho wakes up.

“That… Enri-sama…? …!! I-I apologize! Excuse me!”

With a movement so swift it seemed like it could have a sound effect of “shubababa,” Utsuho jumped out of bed like a spinning top, blushing as she fixed her hair with her hands before bowing deeply.

“I am deeply sorry, Enri-sama. Perhaps it was because I was a bit tired… No, um, anyway, I am truly sorry for showing you such an embarrassing sight.”

“No, I’m totally fine. …Did you have a bad dream or something?”

“I had a dream of the past… a time before I joined the Assassin’s Guild, when I was a girl who knew nothing of the world.”

Utsuho-san briefly showed a weak expression that she usually doesn’t display, then quickly returned to her usual demeanor and gracefully bowed.

“The clothes are on the table near the bed. Utsuho is waiting in the hallway, so please call for her when you are done changing, Enri-sama.”

She said that in her usual calm manner and left the room. I decided to refrain from asking her about what happened earlier. No matter how I approached it, it would only make her feel uncomfortable.

After hurriedly finishing getting dressed, I called out to Ms. Utsuho who was in the hallway, and after a moment, she pushed the serving cart and came into the room. Once inside, she served breakfast with smooth, precise movements without a hint of waste.

Breakfast consisted of toast cut into long strips, a salad made with lettuce and tomatoes that looked quite fancy, and a runny fried egg, all on one plate. As I used my knife and fork to munch on my breakfast, Utsuho, who usually remained silent beside me during meals, surprisingly started talking.

“Excuse me for interrupting your meal, Mr. Enri. I have a few questions I would like to ask.”

“Munch munch… What’s up, Utsuho-san? If it’s something I can answer, I’m all ears.”

The sound of dishes clinking, the crunching sound heard when moving the mouth, and Utsuho’s slightly rough breathing could be heard. As I tossed a fried egg into my mouth and glanced at Utsuho, she seemed to be carefully choosing her words.

“The veteran adventurer of the adventurer clan ‘Orders,’ Roga, had his head severed by Lord Enri, and his resurrection failed, leading him to walk the path to the underworld. And today, his opponent is an adventurer from the same adventurer clan.”

She paused her words and looked into my eyes. Realizing there was no special reaction, she continued speaking.

Voices praising Lord Enri’s extraordinary strength can be heard throughout the city, and there are also voices mourning the adventurer Raijin, blessed by the goddess. At the same time, the members of the “Orders” clan are deeply grieving his death, even though it was an honorable death he himself accepted.

“Enri-sama. You are truly a person to whom the word ‘strong’ is perfectly suited in my entire life. If I were still a member of the Assassin Guild, I would want to recruit you first because of your admirable—your ‘killing’ skills.”

As if waiting for the perfect moment to dive into the opponent’s inner circle, Utsuho gradually approaches the heart of the matter.

“Killings change in value depending on the target of the blade. … If the same organization continues to taste this method, its influence will be transmitted more strongly and deeply, as if gouging into the target’s heart.”

“Today, in the final match of the second round of the main event of the swordsmanship tournament, the match between Lord Enri and Lord Arthur is scheduled. If it has a deeply cutting impact on their clan again today…”

In other words, what she means is this: if you kill promising adventurers from the same clan two days in a row, it will lead to serious trouble, so it’s better to defeat them skillfully. She finishes all the food on her plate and quietly wipes her mouth with a nearby napkin.

“……Did Lyra-san say to fight ‘skillfully’?”

“No. These are the words of a former assassin, a beastman who made a living through killing. Lady Lyra left the hotel early this morning to watch the second round taking place today with the members of the five major merchant families.”

I understand very well what Mr. Utsuho is trying to say. If an organization loses important personnel for two consecutive days, it could even jeopardize the organization’s very existence. I’ve often heard stories of people who were managing operations alone in a black company, only to run away at night, leading to others following suit and the operations coming to a halt.

If we inflict any more damage to the clan’s personnel, it could probably have a negative impact on the Grosvenor family’s business, and to put it more simply, we might end up being resented and face dangerous situations.

Ms. Utsuho, as a maid observing from the side, is probably concerned about such situations, so she chose her words carefully to give me advice.

“Well… I think Utsuho-san’s concern is quite valid. However, once you draw the sword from its sheath, who knows how things will turn out? Even the gods wouldn’t know.”

“If I swing my sword intending to behead you and your head rolls off, then that’s that. If I swing my sword intending to behead you and you still survive, then it’s my lack of skill. Well, that’s the story.”

After all, I’m fighting with borrowed power from the reincarnation bonus given by the God. No one, not even the God, could predict how it would turn out. If that’s the case, then at the very least, I will fight with all my might as a matter of courtesy to those who fight. I will challenge with all my strength, swing my weapon, and take their head. Either they will fall, or I will fall. If I fall, then that’s the end of it; I was

When Utsuho-san heard my words, she nodded silently. The look of anguish that had been flickering on her face until just now was gone, replaced by a clear and refreshed expression.

“Lord Enri. I sincerely apologize for overstepping and interrupting you.”

“No, not at all, it’s perfectly fine, Utsuho-san. Well, I think Utsuho-san’s sense is probably the correct one. I just can’t seem to grasp this sense of balance, you know?”

While tidying up the table, Utsuho casually approached me and suddenly hugged me gently from behind. I was enveloped by her warm arms, wrapped in her supple muscles, and felt a bulge on the back of my head that I shouldn’t be aware of.

I somehow felt that this action implied a desire for it not to happen. I was enveloped in a soft, fragrant scent of perfume that seemed to contain a hint of alcohol reminiscent of a Western pear.

“Utsuho-san…?”

Utsuho-san silently continued to hug tightly, rubbing her body against mine. The bulge I felt at the back of my head, which would lead to a very troublesome situation if I became aware of it, swayed back and forth, leading my mind into a state of great confusion. After about a minute of this rubbing motion, Utsuho-san suddenly released her arms.

“Have a safe trip, Enri-sama. We are sincerely looking forward to your safe return.”

She gracefully moved her tall frame, which was at least twenty centimeters taller than me, and slowly bowed her head with care. She lifted her head more slowly than when she bowed, as if reluctant to part, and showed me a gentle smile.

Only she knows the intention behind her current actions, but it was clear that Utsuho-san was praying for my safety. After standing up from the breakfast table and nodding to Utsuho-san, I got into the carriage and headed from the Roiji Hotel to the arena.

As soon as I got off the carriage near the arena, a flustered staff member from the swordsmanship tournament rushed over to me.

“Ah! Thank goodness, you were found! Huh, Enri-san! Please head to the arena immediately!!”

“Huh, was my match scheduled so soon?”

I think Utsuho-san said that the match between me and Arthur-kun would be the final match of the second round.

“Uh, actually―――the members of ‘The Orders’ have taken over the VIP seats where the members of the Five Great Merchant Houses are sitting, and they are demanding that Player Enri come to the arena!”

The words I received back from the staff were exactly as Utsuho had feared, something I had never anticipated. Letting out a small sigh, I placed my left hand on the scabbard of the katana sheathed in my belt.

“I see. So you’re going to search with a look of desperation, huh? Well then, shall we head to the match venue for now?”

Predicting the bloody situation that was about to unfold, I hurriedly headed towards the arena with the staff.