Chapter 32

My life began in despair.

I was born as the daughter of a trader who moved from place to place.

I remember spending my childhood in a hurry, always watching my busy parents' backs as we arrived in bustling cities.

Because we never stayed in one place, I never made friends.

To begin with, it seemed I wasn't very good at talking to people. Every time we settled into a temporary lodging, I would spend my days leisurely in my room, feeling the passage of time.

"Srena, you're such a good, quiet girl."

My parents would say things like that.

I didn't feel a lack of love, but they were extremely busy earning our daily bread. Perhaps the time they could spend with me was far less than what a normal parent-child relationship would allow.

I vaguely thought that I shouldn't get in the way of my parents. If it pleased them, that was fortunate.

As usual, from city to city, from country to country.

Carrying a lot of luggage and with minimal guards.

Such days came to an abrupt end.

"Enemy attack!! It's huge!!"

I don't remember clearly what happened at that moment.

Suddenly, the carriage was violently shaken, the people around me started moving frantically, and then, after a while, shouts and screams echoed.

"Srena! Run!!"

The last voice I heard from my mother was filled with anguish and despair.

I was pushed out of the half-destroyed carriage by my mother.

It was very big and very scary.

I couldn't look at it for long, but its image was strongly imprinted in my mind. Instinctive fear was planted in me, and I ran around aimlessly in terror.

"---You! Are you okay!?"

I have no idea how far I walked.

Looking back, I'm amazed that such a small body had so much stamina.

I reached the outskirts of a small village far off the trade route—Biden Village—and was discovered and taken in by a villager.

After that, I lost consciousness, and I don't know what kind of conversation took place.

When I came to, it seemed I had been picked up by someone and was in a house, looking at an unfamiliar ceiling and my treated body.

"Hey, you're awake?"

"..."

Don't go with strangers.

I remembered the words my mother had often told me.

Even though it was a matter of circumstances, I was staying with a stranger, and even as a child, I had a vague sense that it was a mistake. However, the only thing a young child could do was remain silent.

"What's your name?"

"...Srena"

The person who picked me up was patient with me.

After ignoring him for a long time, the only thing I could manage to say was my name. It was terribly impolite to my savior, but I didn't want to talk about what had happened or why I was there. I didn't want to remember.

Looking back, I feel ashamed, but I was young, so it couldn't be helped.

After that, I spent some time idly at that house.

Even as a child, I somehow sensed the fate of my parents, who never came to pick me up. The threat that had attacked my parents was so terrifying that even a child like me could tell.

"---What's this?"

"A wooden sword. How about a change of pace?"

How long had I spent like that?

One day, the person who had taken me in came to me with a wooden sword.

It was then that I first learned that this place had a swordsmanship dojo.

"Yeah, yeah. Ha ha, Srena has good potential."

"..."

With nothing much to do and having settled down somewhat, I started swinging the wooden sword at the dojo as he suggested.

I didn't particularly like swinging a sword, but I didn't dislike it either. Most of all, moving my body like this distracted me more than just sitting around aimlessly.

I was taken care of quite a bit at the time.

I wanted to repay that kindness somehow.

So, even as a child, I thought about it and started swinging the sword.

The kind brother in my mind had become a gentle brother.

"Srena, you're quite agile. You might be good with dual swords."

"..."

During the three years I spent at the dojo, I never had the opportunity to wield dual swords, but his words stuck in my head.

Looking back, it was the first time I had actively done something.

When I was with my parents, I didn't have the luxury, and I didn't want to cause them trouble with my whims.

But somehow.

For some reason, I started thinking that the path of the sword might be good.

It might have been for revenge, or escape, or admiration.

The feelings of that time have long since become hazy, but it's a fact that a path was carved out in my heart.

"Srena, take care."

Time passed, and I was entrusted to foster parents.

Today is the day of the handover.

A kind-looking, slightly aged couple was looking at me.

From today, I will no longer be just Srena, but Srena Risandera.

So it seems.

"Teacher"

"Uh?"

Since he had taught me swordsmanship, I decided to call him "teacher" instead of "brother."

Everyone called him that, and it didn't feel strange. However, he looked a bit complicated for some reason.

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome."

This was probably the first time I thanked the brother.

I felt a bit late after being taken care of for three years, but it was a heartfelt expression of gratitude.

My new parents were good people.

They neither spoiled me nor disciplined me strictly. I felt I could grow freely.

When I said I wanted to be an adventurer, they were surprised but didn't oppose me. They only wished for my safety, which made me feel a bit ticklish.

There were several reasons why I wanted to be an adventurer.

One was that since my parents had a job traveling the world, I wanted to see the world with my own eyes and feet.

Another was that I wanted to put to use the swordsmanship I had learned from the brother in a short three years.

Another was that I vaguely wanted to become strong.

And another was that I wanted to help people who might be going through what I had experienced in the past, if possible.

All of these were childish dreams that could be laughed off, but my parents didn't oppose me.

So, I became an adventurer for my own ego.

As I trained and completed quests as an adventurer, I gradually understood the brother's greatness.

At the same time, the confidence that I had been trained by such a person pushed me to even greater heights.

"E... Ah... Beryl... Teacher...?"

It was a shock. Pure, unadulterated shock.

As an adventurer, I persevered through hardships and setbacks and eventually reached the highest rank, the Black Rank.

I think I got here thanks to my own efforts and the parents who gave me such a body. However, I never forgot the brother who was the catalyst for everything.

The brother I met after nearly twenty years had more wrinkles.

But his kindness was as evident as ever at first glance.

"I wanted to come and tell you, but after I started moving as an adventurer, I never had the opportunity... It was an unexpected reunion."

The words I told the teacher, who somehow remembered me, were half true and half a lie.

If I had wanted to, I could have gone to see him.

Quests were indeed busy, but by the time I reached Platinum Rank, I had financial leeway and could have easily traveled to Biden Village by carriage.

It's just, you know, embarrassing and all.

That's it, it must be.

To make matters worse, seeing him with Citrus was completely unexpected. What, a special instructor? That's unfair. I want to learn from him too.

However, I was already the highest-ranked adventurer and was no longer in a position to seek training. On the contrary, I was teaching others more and more.

Recently, the movements of specially designated targets have been unstable, and while I was talking, the new recruit training was—

That's it. New recruit training.

Naturally, a supervisor would be needed.

And a top-notch one at that.

---This is it.

"Actually, I wanted to borrow you for a bit from the Adventurer's Guild. I came to get your permission. There's a letter from the Guild Master."

I lobbied hard with the Guild Master Nidas and pushed it through.

If this goes through, the teacher and I can go together, and I can see the teacher's skills. How about it, Citrus?

...It's not that I dislike Citrus personally. I think he's a capable person.

It's just that the fact that he was attacked by monsters on the trade route has made me distrustful of the Knights' Order as an organization.

"Die, you bastard!"

"GOOOOOAAHHH!!!"

The teacher's sword pierced the mouth of the Xenogrym.

---Impressive. How many adventurers can keep up with that speed? The teacher caught the Xenogrym, which moved at an unbelievable speed for its size, with certainty.

I never expected to encounter a specially designated target here, but he had bad luck to appear when I and, of all people, the teacher were present.

"---You really caused a lot of trouble, you damn thing."

But I'm grateful.

Because I got to fight alongside the teacher.

As a thank you, I'll kill you quickly. Rest in peace.

"Do you have any interest in being an adventurer?"

"No, thank you."

Back at the Adventurer's Guild after everything was over, I struggled to hold back my laughter at the exchange between Nidas and the teacher.

There's no way the teacher would fit into the small world of a mere adventurer.

It's even strange that he's a special instructor for the Knights' Order. Couldn't Citrus have offered him a better position?

I casually glanced at the teacher's profile as he declined.

As usual, he had a kind, gentle face.

If the teacher continues to excel, he will eventually be known by all swordsmen in the country, no, the world.

With the title of Sword Saint.

This story will come to a temporary conclusion here.

◆Regarding future updates.

I have a small stock of chapters, but as the year-end approaches, my work is getting busier, and I have book publication work to do, so I will take a break from updates for a while.

I feel very sorry for the readers who are looking forward to the next chapter, but I will do my best to bring the next chapter and book publication news as soon as possible, so I hope for your understanding and support.

Since I started posting on November 17th, it feels like it's been a short time, but I am very grateful for the unexpected number of readers and the evaluations I have received.

I am also very grateful for the many comments I have received. I apologize for the delay in responding.

I have also found the typo reports very helpful. From simple typos to expression suggestions, I have learned a lot.

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