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 37

“Excuse me… I see, so this is where you’re currently staying, Lord Enri.”

After climbing up to the second floor of the Witch’s Staff Resting Place, I led Utsuho to the room I had been using. She ducked her head slightly to pass through the doorway and entered, glancing around the room as if sniffing out every detail.

Apart from Jin and the triplets, no one else knew about Hashihime’s existence. That meant I hadn’t informed Utsuho, the sharp-witted former assassin and beast folk maid, about her either.

I felt an overwhelming sense of unease. If Utsuho so much as suspected Hashihime’s presence and realized we were living together, I had no doubt she’d press me with a deep, shadowy smile, demanding, “What exactly is your relationship with this woman?”

This must be how a guy feels when he brings his current girlfriend into a room filled with his ex’s belongings. Not that I ever had a girlfriend in my previous life.

Despite my excessive nervousness and the way I flinched at Utsuho’s every movement, she surprisingly didn’t interrogate me.

Once she finished inspecting the room, she sat on the edge of the bed, let out a sigh, and fanned the hem of her maid’s long skirt, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

“Utsuho, I was about to ask this downstairs, but why did you leave Lady Laila and come here alone?”

“That is precisely the matter at hand. To put it simply, remaining near Lady Laila at the moment would invite troublesome situations and, at the same time, bring disgrace upon the House of Grosvenor.”

Still fanning her skirt, Utsuho gave her answer, though her explanation felt evasive, as if she was deliberately skirting around the most crucial part.

Near Lady Laila… Ah, maybe this had to do with what I overheard during the parade—the five great merchant houses being heavily guarded.

“Utsuho, is it because the people from the five great merchant houses are surrounded by an insane amount of security, making things uncomfortable for you?”

She twirled a strand of her green hair around her finger and looked away. “Precisely,” she muttered, sounding rather bored.

“As you know, I hail from the kingdom’s assassin guild. I have sent many individuals of various standings to the underworld from the shadows. Because of that, places under constant public scrutiny—especially those filled with kingdom knights and gendarmerie—are not exactly… welcoming for someone like me.”

With a bitter grimace, Utsuho launched into an impassioned twenty-minute speech, detailing just how many knights and soldiers were guarding the five great merchant houses. She spoke with the enthusiasm of a renowned scholar advocating for environmental policies at a UN conference.

“For each distinguished guest from the five great merchant houses, no fewer than forty guards are assigned. Guests are required to stay at kingdom-approved hotels, and whenever they go out, at least eight guards remain at their side at all times.

Furthermore, the potential for magic-based attacks is considered, leading to the use of resonance stones—”

“U-Utsuho, I think I get the picture. You can stop now.”

“Understood,” she said, finally concluding her intricate explanation of the knight order’s security measures. Incidentally, throughout her speech, she had casually mentioned things like exploiting this security flaw, bribing guards in this area, and slipping a gold coin and poison into their soup.

“In short, if I stay near Lady Laila under such heavy surveillance, my past as an assassin could cause trouble for her. Especially since I have never been caught by the knights or the gendarmerie, making me quite the high-value target.”

“Luckily, other maids are attending to Lady Laila at the moment, and she herself assured me, ‘Everything’s fine here.’ So I decided to check on you instead, Lord Enri. I followed your scent here.”

I see. So, because the people guarding Laila are the very ones who’d recognize her past, she had to distance herself.

Now that I thought about it, even during the swordsmanship tournament, she had been careful not to linger near the match venues or the audience seats. And when I got electrocuted and was left burnt to a crisp, she went into the city to fetch a healer instead of rushing over.

“So, until the tournament ends, I shall be nothing more than a bloodsucking, gold-draining beast folk maid leeching off House Grosvenor. Therefore, at the very least, I wish to serve you, Lord Enri.”

Utsuho rose from the bed, squared her shoulders, and proudly declared herself a financial parasite. She then stepped toward me, her soft smile shifting into something more mischievous. Taking my hands in hers, she leaned in close, her breath warm against my ear.

“Of course, if it is your wish, Lord Enri, I shall serve you in any way you desire.”

The old me would have panicked at such a seductive whisper; my nerves frayed beyond repair. But after spending time with Hashihime and regaining fragments of my past, I realized… while I wasn’t entirely indifferent, I no longer felt flustered or overwhelmed.

Noticing my lack of reaction, Utsuho blinked in surprise.

“Lord Enri, may I ask… have you experienced a woman’s touch? To put it bluntly, have you mated?”

“That’s really direct, Utsuho. Can you use a more roundabout way to ask? And no, I’m still a virgin.”

“Hmm… that’s odd,” she murmured, sniffing around me curiously.

“Hmm! There’s a faint yet unfamiliar fragrance… A gentle, enveloping scent… No, this is—this is a woman’s scent!”

“Utsuho, I really appreciate your offer to help, but I’m leaving here tomorrow!”

Sensing danger as her words veered into suspicious territory, I quickly cut in.

Utsuho paused, still pressing her nose against my chest. “Lord Enri, what do you mean by ‘leaving’?”

“Uh… I’m going dungeon diving.”

“With the swordsmanship tournament finals so close?”

Her eyes, peeking through her bangs, screamed Are you serious?! I forcefully pried her off me, sat her down in a chair, and explained.

I told her I was venturing into a dungeon tomorrow for Alice’s sake. That it contained relics related to the Great Witch. That I wanted to test my ability to cut through magic. And, after some hesitation, I admitted that this was an unauthorized, secret expedition.

I wasn’t confident I could lie to Utsuho, and I didn’t want to lie to someone who had looked after me.

She listened attentively, occasionally asking questions, and once she had digested all the information, she spoke:
“A party consisting of only a swordsman and a mage is highly inadvisable.”

She then explained how recklessly destroying dungeon walls could lead to collapses, making the return trip impossible.

After observing my troubled expression, she made an unexpected offer.

“Lord Enri, may I join this illegal, unsanctioned dungeon raid?”

I blinked. “Wait, you… want to come with us?”

“Yes. Despite my current humble position as a maid, my previous profession required infiltration and sabotage. I am confident in my abilities.”

I hesitated, but after listening to her reasoning, I nodded.

“Alright. I’ll be counting on you, Utsuho.”