Right. So why in the world was the great commander of this nation’s knights all the way out here in the sticks? Seriously, why? Showing up in person like this was obviously going to shock an old man.
Barely keeping those thoughts to myself, I said, “It really has been a long time. I hardly recognized you.”
“You haven’t changed at all, Master.”
I suddenly found myself in a boy-meets-girl situation in a countryside dojo. How easy life would be if I could only sum it up like that? However, I was far too old to be considered a boy, and Allusia wasn’t so young that she could be called a girl. She was still a beauty, though. I was unfortunately past the age where I could live with such romantic dreams in my head.
In the north of the Galean continent was our nation, the Liberis Kingdom. The capital city was called Baltrain—there, the Liberion Order, which directly served the monarchy, had its headquarters.
And now, the new commander of said Liberion Order, Allusia Sitrus, was standing before me.
During her time at our dojo, she’d been diligent and talented, possessing a gentle personality. As a little girl, she’d been good enough to replicate my swordsmanship by watching and imitating me. She’d also had a talent for taking care of others—I remembered that she used to trouble herself with her fellow pupils. All in all, she’d been really put together, which had seemed so refreshingly mismatched to this dojo in the middle of nowhere.
Allusia had attended my dojo for a period of about four years. In terms of age, she’d been here from twelve to sixteen, and during that time, she’d absorbed pretty much everything I could teach her. Looking to further devote herself to her improvement, she’d left this remote region—the village of Beaden—and had made her way to the capital, Baltrain.
“It’s been quite a while since I visited the dojo,” she muttered, a clear air of nostalgia in her voice. “The same goes for Beaden...” She peered past me, looking inside the dojo from the entrance.
“You’re right. How many years has it been now?”
Allusia hadn’t been born in this village. After hearing rumors about our dojo from somewhere or other, she’d made her way to Beaden along with her parents. According to what I’d heard, her parents were merchants, and their nice clothes had offered a glimpse of their wealth. They’d apparently wanted their beloved daughter to acquire the bare minimum skills needed to protect herself. One thing had led to another, and they’d extended their stay, allowing her to attend our dojo for four years.
Of course, it was strange for the daughter of merchants to become a knight commander. I had no clue how that’d happened. Incidentally, I wasn’t one to pry regarding my pupils’ birthplaces and such. If they were minors, I verified what I had to, but fundamentally, I never refused anyone who came to our doorstep. As long as they paid the monthly tuition fee, I had no complaints.
“Oh, yes, have you been reading my letters?” Allusia asked.
“Yeah, I have. Looks like you’ve been enjoying a good life.”
Ever since leaving the dojo, she’d sent me letters once every few months. By reading them, I’d been able to catch a glimpse of her day-to-day. I hadn’t, however, gotten the slightest inkling that she’d pay me a sudden in-person visit. Actually, if she’d been planning to drop by, I would’ve preferred that she inform me in one of her letters. Having such a big shot show up on my doorstep out of the blue was a huge shock for this old man.
She’d grown so much compared to my last memory of her. After giving it some thought, I figured that Allusia was now in her midtwenties—she was likely approaching the age of enrichment in both mind and body. She seemed to have quieted down a lot compared to the young girl I’d first met, even giving off a tranquil impression. Her facial features were more dignified than before, and her body was now that of a woman. It showed how healthily she’d grown since leaving the dojo.
As I observed my former pupil, my eyes fixed on the weapon at her hip. “I see you still have that sword...”
“Yes. It’s the precious blade you honored me with, Master.”
Allusia wasn’t currently wearing the gallant armor of a knight commander. Clad in a leather jacket, her garb was much more casual. Regardless, she kept a sword at her waist as a symbol of her duty—and it was a blade I recognized. I’d given it to her as a farewell gift when she’d left the dojo.
“I’m pretty sure a knight commander can easily get her hands on a much nicer sword,” I said.
“The definition of a good sword differs from person to person. This one’s good for me. This is my sword.”
“I see...”
Oh man. That made me happy, but it was still a bit much to hear. Realizing that my former pupil held such unexpectedly heavy emotions for her sword weirded me out a tiny bit. Still, I guess it wasn’t bad that she had an attachment to my farewell gift.
Pretty much all the kids who graduated from my dojo received a sword. I would’ve preferred to get them a nicer blade, but unfortunately, we didn’t have a stash of high-quality swords out here in the sticks. There was a limit to both quantity and quality, after all. We had a blacksmith in the village, but his skills and equipment were that of a so-so village smith, so I couldn’t expect masterworks from him.
I didn’t remember how many people I’d given swords to, exactly. I’d basically handed them out willy-nilly as farewell gifts. If I saw a former student with one of my swords in person, maybe I’d be able to identify them, but I wasn’t sure—if, like with Allusia, it’d been years since they’d been at the dojo, it would probably take me some time to remember. After all, more pupils meant more money, and I’d made enough money to fund ordering and gifting swords to all of them. It was no surprise that I couldn’t immediately recall every last student.
“S-So? What brings you here today?” I asked. “I don’t believe you ever mentioned anything about stopping by.”
Casting aside my idle thoughts, I focused on Allusia once more. I tried recalling the content of her letters, but I couldn’t remember her mentioning that she was planning a visit. Or, maybe I could. Now that I thought about it, she had written something like, “Now that I have the opportunity to speak with pivotal figures of the nation, like nobles, I’m working a lot more. However, good things have happened too. Please look forward to it.”
I’d figured she would send a follow-up report in another letter, but here she was in person. It was far beyond my expectations.
“Oh, right,” she said. “As a matter of fact, there’s something I simply must inform you of.”
“H-Hmm. What’s that?”
She maintained her smile. Actually, it seemed even deeper than before. It was a truly refreshing smile, without a hint of shadow hanging over it; however, after the ebb and flow of heavy emotions regarding her farewell sword, a part of me sensed something unsettling hiding beneath. Maybe it was just my imagination.
Anyway, what good news might she want to tell me face-to-face? Hmm, I couldn’t even begin to guess. If she’d gotten promoted even further, that was exactly the type of thing to notify me of by letter. But since she was here in person, it probably had something to do with me too—what matter could possibly involve an old man in his forties who lived out here in the sticks?