Episode 10: Resolving Doubts
“Well then, once again, Cladfield. This is Lord Boiled Cybarossa, and this is my daughter.”
“Arianna Cybarossa, I’m 13 years old. Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Cladfield, 11 years old. Lord-sama, Young Lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The Lord-sama is Boiled-sama. His rank is probably Baron. He’s quite tall. His green hair shines in the light, a real handsome guy.
And his daughter, Young Lady Arianna. She has her father’s green hair, and while still cute, she has a somehow dignified air about her ponytail.
“Is this enough of a formal introduction? Then we will take charge of Cladfield here.”
“First, we must confirm the extent of his common sense, mustn’t we?”
The greetings were barely over when a dignified old gentleman of a butler and a maid exuding veteran vibes appeared behind me!? When did they get there!?
I glanced at the Lord-sama, who had a look on his face like he was chewing on something bitter. The Young Lady’s face was visibly turning blue.
“P-Please be gentle with him.”
“That depends on Cladfield, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, yes. We must bring him up to a level that won’t shame the Cybarossa House.”
“Both of you, I’m counting on you.”
““Leave it to us.””
And so, I, Cladfield, was taken away.
“…His handwriting is quite neat.”
“Even if he doesn’t know the words, it’s surprising that he can use a pen properly.”
First, they checked my literacy. In the village, there’s hardly any need to read or write in the first place, and there aren’t many books to begin with.
However, I had been taught to some extent by Mom, so I can write letters and numbers. I just didn’t know the spelling of words, even everyday ones, or I remembered them wrong. I intend to learn a lot on this occasion.
However, paper and ink cost quite a bit of money, so I check words on wooden tags and write letters on the ground to memorize them. It’s like an open-air classroom.
“He seems to be quite handy at various things. This will make our job easier.”
“Yes, yes. But it’s just beginning.”
Manners for greetings, manners for meals, etiquette, how to write letters, and even music lessons. It seems I’ll be studying all of that in conjunction with learning letters and words.
Isn’t that too much to cram in? And I have to play this violin-like thing?
Learning meal manners right away at lunch? What was it like in the village? It’s okay to grab bread with your hands, right?
The morning lessons ended, and it was time for the afternoon. I was taken to the knight’s training ground.
It seems they’ve set aside time to train my body as a guard. Honestly, I’d rather memorize more words, but I can’t help it.
“Even though we know you’re somewhat capable, we’ll have you show us how much ability you have first. Raymond, be his opponent.”
“Yes, sir. Claffy-kun, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you.”
I was handed a wooden sword, so I held it up. Hmm, Raymond-san seems a little hunched over.
“Hah!”
There’s no point in just glaring at each other, so I swung my sword. It was a blow from the side against Raymond-san’s sword, which was held in a central stance.
He blocked it properly with his sword. I wonder if he was able to grasp how much strength I have with that attack?
“Sei!”
A counterattack came, so I twisted my body to avoid it. It’s better to counterattack quickly than to receive the blow. I struck down on the descending sword, knocking the opponent’s sword to the ground.
“Oops.”
“It slipped out of my hand.”
“…Well, that’s about it. Next, Fade, you’re up.”
“Yes, sir.”
The next opponent is a bit bigger. However, judging from his stance, he’s not scary. He’s just a bit stronger than Raymond-san, or so it seems.
After that, I was made to swing my sword against different people. Hmm, is this what knights are like? I haven’t even released Overweight Magic or enhanced my body yet.
“H-He’s a monster…”
“N-No, you guys are… Never mind.”
“Hahaha, well, you can’t win against that. There’s too much difference in skill and experience.”
The large man who was there during the interview is laughing loudly.
“Captain?”
“That guy is from a hunter family in Sunrakka Village. If you can beat him, you can become a great adventurer.”
“Eh? Is that so?”
“Why are you surprised?”
Because I don’t know anything about the outside world.
“The hunters of Sunrakka are, in essence, the guardians of the Black Forest. They survive against a wide variety of Monsters and protect the human domain from them. They are an elite fighting force. Well, only a few people in our territory know about Sunrakka Village.”
“…I see.”
“So why are you surprised?”
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it. I certainly thought Dad and Uncle Daz and Aunt Millia and Grandpa Volks were incredibly strong.”
There’s too much difference in skill between the adults and me, so there’s no comparison.
“In my estimation, you seem to have the ability of a level 4 or 5 adventurer.”
“I don’t know where that ranks… By the way, what rank are our hunters?”
“They’re at the very top rank, even the cream of the crop.”
“The cream of the crop, huh?”
They must be strong. I see.
“So, your ability is proven by your bloodline. The reason you were hired immediately during the interview was more like…”
“More like?”
“That you were more polite than I expected.”
“…I see.”
I was careful with my words, and it seems that was the right thing to do.
Also, it seems that the hunter families in my village are strong. Well, there are several people who manage the Black Forest single-handedly, even if it’s on a rotating basis. There’s no way they could be weak.
“I thought I’d naturally reach that level when I grew up.”
“If that were the case, Monsters would have been eliminated by now.”
Come to think of it, other than the hunters… Wait, everyone other than the hunters is also quite strong?
“Ah, is the level of Sunrakka Village abnormal?”
“That’s what I’m saying?”
“I didn’t know.”
When I left the village, it was only to go shopping with Dad, so I didn’t see the state of other villages. There was hardly any talk of people coming from outside the village…
“Sometimes people from the village come out, but it’s rare for a child like you to come out.”
“My father told me to see the world.”
I was told to find a wife, but I don’t want to advertise that too much.
“Speaking of not knowing, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Isn’t this story about being a guard strange? Normally, you’d train a specialist, like the son of a knight, right? It would take two or three years.”
“Ah. Yeah, you noticed.”
Of course. Recruiting from the commoners is still a strange story, but if there’s a lack of talent, it’s not an incomprehensible story. But to have them acquire the minimum ability as a guard in just two months, let alone etiquette and manners, is impossible.
“We were raising one, but…”
“Did he die?”
“You got straight to the point!? Well, I guess that’s probably it.”
“If he was here before and isn’t here now, I thought he was either missing or dead. It seems I was right.”
What other reasons could there be… Ah, maybe he stole something from the Lord-sama and was punished.
“He was a pretty good guy. He went into a Dungeon with his adventurer friends and never came back.”
“I see.”
“To put it bluntly, he’s Raymond’s younger brother.”
“…I’m sorry to hear that.”
“No, no, I’m making you clean up after our idiot who couldn’t come back after recklessly going on an adventure when he had duties waiting for him. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“…It’s hard to respond to that.”
“He was a brat I didn’t like in the first place, and he made my mother cry. I won’t forgive him.”
“I see.”
“…We didn’t get along.”
“I wish he’d come back as a zombie! Then I could cut him down!”
They really don’t get along!
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“No, not really.”
“I see. If anything comes up, ask me. I knew it, but you’re skilled enough. From tomorrow, I’ll drill the basics of being a guard into you.”
“Understood.”
A guard, huh? I remember the training being tough.
“Then, Young Lady, I’ll be in your care.”
“Yes, I’ll go easy on you.”
The days continued with me receiving instruction mainly on etiquette, and I was getting tired of the low-level lectures on the basics of being a guard, or rather, the brainless lectures of “Protect with your life! Protect even if your limbs are torn off! Protect no matter what!”
Right now, I’m crossing swords with the Young Lady.
The 13-year-old Young Lady doesn’t seem to like being protected by me, who is two years younger and smaller.
“Hah!”
“…”
Hmm. Well, it’s a normal sword. It’s not just that my standards are the village standards, but after training with the other knights and soldiers here, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a normal sword. The only thing I can say is that she’s a little strong.
“Guh! You!”
“Sister! Do your best!”
“Sis-ter!”
By the way, the Lord-sama’s two young masters have also come to watch. It’s making things rather difficult.
As I dodge and parry with my sword, Young Lady’s swordplay is gradually becoming sloppier. If I block too strongly, she might hurt her wrist, so I’ll deflect it here.
“This! Why! You’re not! Counterattacking!”
“? I’m a guard, after all.”
It would be outrageous to injure the person I’m supposed to be protecting.
“You too! You’re doing that too!”
“No, it’s just that Young Lady’s sword is reasonably sharp. Subduing her without causing injury seems like it would be quite difficult.”
That’s right. Young Lady’s sword skill is at a ‘normal’ level even compared to the Knights Order members. A 13-year-old girl at the normal level of an adult Knight Order member.
Her swordsmanship might be normal, but as a girl, she’s anything but.
“Huh? No, but you can’t train if you’re afraid of getting hurt!”
“…Was this training?”
I was only told, “I’m going to test my own abilities!”
Tch! Barrier!
“Hmph! Don’t underestimate me! What!?”
My Barrier Magic, activated in response to Young Lady’s voice, intercepts the incoming fire magic.
At the same time, Young Lady lands a sharp blow on my shoulder. Ouch. Good thing it was a wooden sword. But I protected her.
“Ho, you protected Aria-chan well in that situation. But a chantless barrier… it seems non-attribute magic isn’t something to scoff at.”
“Father!?”
“Lord-sama…”
I wonder how long he’s been watching. Lord-sama is turning his hand towards us. It seems like one of his pranks.
“Cladfield, we’ve got a good one.”
“Young Lady, he’s a suspicious individual.”
This is a case that calls for retaliation. To interrupt a sword match like this is utterly outrageous.
However, the other party is the highest-ranking noble in this territory. I can’t retaliate properly.
Using telekinetic magic to pull a wooden sword towards me, I throw the sword I’m holding at Lord-sama.
“…Indeed, he seems suspicious! Father! Prepare yourself!”
“Whoa, Aria-chan!? This is Cladfield-kun’s test, and…”
“No questions asked! Haa!”
The attack aimed at Lord-sama is clearly sharper than the one aimed at me? Well, whatever, go for it. My shoulder was killing me.
I’ll try to activate the injured area with magic to speed up the healing. It won’t heal instantly, but the pain will subside quickly, and I’ll be able to move as if I were in perfect condition soon.
“Barrier, Barrier, Barrier.”
As expected, Lord-sama is also quite skilled with a sword. Not as much as the commander, but far superior to Young Lady. About the same level as my Aniki? I predict the path of Lord-sama’s sword and the position of his feet, placing small barriers to annoy him. I did this to Aniki too, but it throws off your timing and is quite tough.
“Ugh, this is difficult! Is this Cladfield-kun’s doing!”
“Yes. Prepare yourself.”
I approach with my sword as well. However, my role is purely defensive. My goal is to redirect the sword aimed at Young Lady towards me.
“I don’t really understand, but there’s an opening!”
However, as expected of a noble parent and child. Instead of hitting the father on the head, she exploits the opening created by his loss of balance, inserting her sword and holding it to his neck to end the match.
Hmm, if it were me, I would have hit him on the head and followed up with another attack. Otherwise, a counterattack would be coming.
“I, did it! I took a point from Father!”
“No, isn’t that unfair? It was only possible with Cladfield-kun’s support.”
“I couldn’t take a point even when paired with Michelle! It’s thanks to Cladfield!”
“I’m glad you’re pleased, but can I go get my shoulder treated?”
” “Ah.” “
I’m treating it with activation magic, but it still hurts because I moved my body right away. If I apply the ointment from Grandma that I brought from the village, it’ll heal in seconds, though.
After that, I received an apology from Lord-sama. Well, it’s fine at another time, but I’d prefer he not do it while I’m swinging a sword.
Also, Young Lady and the young masters have become a little attached to me. I’ve been called to train with them more often… the young masters are energetic and adorable.