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 36
After Alice treated me to a full meal, I patted my bloated stomach and wandered around town for a bit before heading back to the Witch’s Staff Resting Place. It was both a way to digest my food and an excuse for a stroll.
Posters and flyers covered the walls and windows of the shops in Redinbara, announcing, “The Swordsmanship Tournament Finals, Coming Soon!” and “The Twilight Knight vs. The Mysterious Swordsman – Who Will Prevail?” The final match was just two weeks away. Seeing these everywhere made me feel a little embarrassed, knowing that I was involved.
As I enjoyed my walk under the gradually orange-tinted sky, I suddenly heard the sound of wind instruments coming from the bustling main street. Curious, I followed the sound and found a massive crowd of Redinbara citizens gathered there.
Loud brass and drum music filled the air, accompanied by the clattering of carriage wheels. Several black carriages, heavily adorned with luxurious decorations, passed through the street. Soldiers clad in armor so intricately crafted they looked like pieces of art marched in perfect formation. It was a parade—an extravagant one.
“Our glorious King has arrived to witness the Kingdom’s Founding Swordsmanship Tournament! Citizens, as beautiful as the rich nature of our proud kingdom, I kindly ask you to clear the way!”
A particularly large black and gold carriage, more heavily guarded than the rest, came into view. Beside it, a slim man on a white horse addressed the crowd. His face practically radiated self-confidence.
His armor was made of smooth silver with elegant curves. His well-groomed, almost white-gold hair shimmered under the sunlight. At his waist hung a slender, needle-sharp rapier. Without a doubt, he was a knight—a narcissistic knight.
“Oh! The wise citizens of ancient Redinbara! Without us even needing to raise our voices, you have gracefully opened the path for our march and welcomed our arrival with dignified poise! I, Luir Rad Chevalier, am deeply moved!”
Honestly, I think people just didn’t know how to react to such an over-the-top personality. I know I didn’t. It felt like suddenly encountering a bowl of extra-fatty, heavy-flavored ramen—it was overwhelming.
“Hey, that guy on the white horse… is he one of the Four Knights? The one called ‘Beauty’?”
“Yeah, that’s him. After that ‘Orders’ group caused chaos at the tournament, the Royal Knights, the King, and the Four Knights all came together to tighten security. The Five Great Merchant Houses are also here, and they’ve combined their security efforts.”
“Whoa, so including the ‘Twilight’ guy in the tournament, half of the Four Knights are here? That’s crazy. This is enough firepower for a small war.”
“Yeah, but they brought so many knights and soldiers that the bigwigs are basically under house arrest now.”
I overheard bits of conversation from the people around me. Apparently, that narcissistic knight was a member of the Four Knights—just like Rito. “Beauty” Knight, huh? Well, he definitely looked the part. Also, it seemed like the Five Great Merchant Houses were involved, which meant Laila and Utsuho might already be in town.
Thinking I might run into Laila or Utsuho, I left the parade and headed toward Jottem’s Hammer. As the music faded into the distance, I made my way through the backstreets and finally reached my destination. I pushed open the door.
“Ohhh, welcome, Enri-chan~! Yay, you’re my third customer today! By the way, darling went to watch the parade, so he’s not here right now~”
As the doorbell jingled, Luise, standing on a stepping stool, waved at me with a bright smile while polishing glasses. Her blue twin-tails swayed as she did. I waved back and scanned the room.
As expected, Rito sat in her usual spot, still in her black attire, though not as disheveled as she often was. Beside her sat a blonde woman with elaborate drill curls, dressed in a frilly crimson dress—the very image of an aristocratic lady.
“Oh, Enri! What a coincidence. Are you here to top up on alcohol early?”
“I don’t drink yet, Rito.”
“R-Rito? Is this young man…?”
The drill-haired woman cast glances at me while whispering to Rito, her voice filled with concern.
“Olivia-saaan, why do you look so worried?”
“B-Because! Rito! This child is your…!”
“Ahh, I see what you mean! Yep, Olivia, you guessed right.”
“W-WHAT?! You fool! How can you just sit here and chat so casually?!”
With a dramatically exaggerated expression, Olivia pounded her fists against Rito’s black blouse. Rito brushed her off with an easygoing “Don’t worry about it~” before taking a glass from Luise.
She didn’t seem like a bad person. Olivia… that name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. If I couldn’t remember, it probably wasn’t that important. Shrugging off the thought, I sat next to her and ordered the cola-flavored cocktail I’d taken a liking to before.
“Hiii! T-The swordsman from Laila’s house! P-Please, don’t cut me down!
”
“Relax, Miss Golden Drill Curls. I don’t attack without reason… Wait, you called Laila by her first name? Are you an old friend?”
“T-That’s right! I am Laila’s friend and the next head of the most prestigious of the Five Great Houses—the Port family! I am Olivia Port! Ohohoho!”
With a slightly pale face, Olivia covered her mouth and let out a classic ohohoho! laugh, the very definition of a stereotypical noblewoman. If you looked up “rich noble lady” in a search engine, she’d probably be the first result.
“Olivia, as the next head of a Great House, is it okay for you to be here? The King is holding a parade outside, after all.”
“Ugh! T-That’s…!”
“Oh, Enri~ Olivia is friends with Laila, but she felt awkward facing her directly. So, she dragged me along and snuck out of the parade~”
As Rito spoke, Olivia gasped, “Rito! You weren’t supposed to tell him!”, her hands weakly thumping against Rito’s shoulder.
Then, Rito’s tone suddenly changed.
“By the way, Enri… have you seen any strange monsters recently?”
Her previously relaxed demeanor disappeared, and she gazed at me with a sharp, serious expression.
“No, not really. I haven’t seen anything like that since the last time we fought together. I’ve done some extermination quests for the Adventurer’s Guild, but nothing unusual.”
That referred to the white-fleshed creature we encountered at the Witch’s Maw. Lately, I’d been taking on as many extermination requests as possible, but I hadn’t come across anything remotely similar.
“I did some research before the King arrived,” Rito murmured. “And it looks like that thing might be connected to the Great Witch who once ruled this land.”
Olivia’s face stiffened. “You could have told me earlier!”
Rito just chuckled and playfully winked. “Oops~ My bad☆”
She then leaned in close and whispered into my ear.
“A group connected to the Great Witch might be on the move. Be careful. I’ll go crush them before the tournament finals.”
After Rito left, I couldn’t relax. The idea of a cult resurfacing was troubling. Finishing my drink, I paid my tab and left.
As I walked back to the Witch’s Staff Resting Place, I pondered over Rito’s words. What could they be after…?
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