An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Swords Saint: I Was Just a Rural Sword Teacher, But My Successful Students Won’t Leave Me Alone! - CH 116

“Hey, Valder, I’m coming in,” I said.

“Oh, Master,” Valder said. “Welcome to my store.”

It was the day after I went to the Magician’s Academy with Thyssel.

I stopped by Valder’s Smithy after finishing the morning training, to pick up the sword I had left with him.

“I’ve finished sharpening that sword,” Valder said. “Wait a minute.”

“Ah, I see,” I said. “Go ahead.”

It seems Valder quickly sensed what my business was, and with that, he disappears behind the counter.

And while he was fetching my sword, I look at the wall, lined up and cramped with good-quality weapons.

As I’ve learned several times, Valder’s Smithy isn’t a very prosperous business, to put it briefly.

The store isn’t that big, and the product lineup isn’t ridiculously plentiful.

In terms of prosperity, the blacksmith who was the Knights of Rebelio’s armorer, the same one that Alexia took me to when I was new to Baltrain, was much better at attracting customers. There was a lot of space in the store, a large selection of goods, and above all, a testing ground.

However, if you asked me if Valder’s needed more sales, it seems unlikely.

Valder is a blacksmith, but also a former swordsman. Unfortunately, his skill as a swordsman wasn’t that high, but as a blacksmith who knows how to swing a sword, that mix of knowledge makes him valuable.

As a result, it seemed to be more useful to Adventurers like Selena than to the Knights and the Garrison.

For sure, I feel that his strengths are more suited to adventurers who can order weapons that suit their individual abilities, skills, and tastes, rather than organizations that require uniform equipment.

Valder was also a former disciple of mine, so I was wondering what to do if he was having trouble putting food on his table, but such worries seemed worthless. Well, if he can eat well doing what he loves, that’s fine.

On the contrary, there is no sign of being an apprentice or having a disciple here, and apparently, Valder is working alone. It seems that even if the shop’s number of customers increases dramatically, it will not be possible to meet their needs.

“Sorry to make you wait, Master,” Valder said.

“No, it’s fine,” I said. “It’s fun just to look at the weapons.”

“Is that so?” Valder asked. “Would you like to test one out, Master?”

“Hahaha, just making conversation,” I said.

I take the sword in its red scabbard from Valder.

And when I drew it then, the red blade shimmered faintly like it was glowing, just from the sunlight from the windows.

“Yeah, you’ve done a good job like always,” I said.

“Of course,” Valder said.

It was the same luster as when I first picked up this sword. It seems that it was the right choice to sharpen it, this blade was now shining like new.

“By the way, Master,” Valder said, “Selena was asking for your opinion about the sword.”

“Is that so?” I asked. “If she comes to visit again, please tell her I’m very happy with it.”

“Yeah, you got it,” Valder said.

This sword was made from Xeno Glaive, one I got through a strange connection I rekindled after coming to Baltrain. I’m still wondering if it’s wasted on me, but so far so good still.

It reminds me that I must work harder, so I wouldn’t be embarrassed to own this sword.

“Now that you mention that,” I said, “is Selena doing well?”

“She seems to be fine,” Valder said. “I heard that she’s flying here and there like usual.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I said.

Unlike Alexia and Kuruni, who belong to the Knights, and Thyssel, who belongs to the Magic Division, Selena is an adventurer. She is also Black Rank, the highest. Compared to the disciples I mentioned above, I have far fewer opportunities to meet her, even if I do live in the capital of Baltrain.

Becoming a well-known adventurer often means leaving Baltrain for work. They and their duties have ties or obligations to the country they live in. Even if it is just on paper.

Well, it’s been 20 years since I was taking care of her at my dojo, and she’s become a responsible adult now, too. It’s not something I should care about anymore, but I’m worried if we’ll ever meet again like this.

“Well then, thanks for the work,” I said.

“Yeah,” Valder said. “Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything else.”

And now that I have the Xeno Glaive sword back, I return the rental that was on my waist and left the smithy.

Well, it’s my usual sword, but I can’t relax. It looks a little too flashy but my body is already familiar with the weight and center of gravity of this weapon.

“Now, then,” I said to myself.

I’m done with all my chores today.

Instructing the Knights is over, and I’ve got my usual sword back. All I have to do is go home and set the table for me and Miu. However, it is still a little too early in the day to do that.

“… I wonder if I should buy more groceries,” I said.

And with that, I turn toward the West District.

Once every few days, I go to the West District with Miu to buy ingredients, but if a growing child and an active adult live together, the groceries will decrease a lot faster than usual.

Fortunately, I haven’t had any financial difficulties so far, so I’m sure Miu has been able to live a life that is better than average.

The savings I originally had, my salary as a special guide, and the money I got from Ibroix. And, perhaps, a temporary lecturer fee could be expected from the Magician Academy. Well, the last one isn’t likely but in the good sense.

The reward from Ibroix is temporary, but with this amount of savings and income, there is no reason I can’t support one adult and one child. Fortunately, I was freed from the burden of rent, and I will take good care of her until Miu becomes independent.

“… Oh, block meat is cheap, isn’t it?” I muttered to myself. 1

And while I was thinking about my finances, I arrived at the market in the West District.

Just because I can afford the loss doesn’t mean I should be wasteful. Of course, you should spend money when you need it, but it’s always better to save when you don’t have to.

“Welcome,” the butcher said as I examined the shelves. “You’ve been buying a lot of meat from us lately, so you get them at a discount.”

“Huh, that’s very kind of you,” I said.

In Baltrain, the South District is a major agricultural area, but the bulk of its real estate is for planting crops. Even then, not all of it is for planting, livestock farming is also flourishing.

In the countryside like in Bidden Village, there are hunters working at towns, but I wonder if there are any hunters in a city like Baltrain as well. Or is the livestock industry enough to cover their need for meat?”

“I’ll take this block of meat, then,” I said.

“Got it, the usual, then,” the butcher said.

Well, I don’t have to think too deeply about it, it is what it is.

Whatever the case, Baltrain is stocked with plentiful stocks of meat, meaning supply and demand are stable. If you can benefit from it, there’s nothing to complain about it. I don’t make my living hunting.

“And now,” I said.

I bought the meat because it was cheap but I’m sure it’ll be gone soon.

I’m not that big of an eater, but I eat as much as I can fill my stomach with, and Miu is growing up so she eats plenty. She’s learning swordsmanship, so she has to eat properly and develop her body.

Having quickly finished up my purchases, I return home to the Central District on foot.

It’s still a lively city at this time. Back in my hometown, you’d only hear the sound of lumberjacks felling trees and the noises of birds and woodland critters at this hour, but here in the capital of Baltrain, there’s always a lot of human activity.

Even though I’ve been in the countryside for many years, I’m getting used to living in a big city, and it seems this is what urban living would be like anywhere. On the contrary, if I get used to the convenience in a city, I may be a little reluctant to go back to the countryside.

At least until Miu graduates from the Academy of Wizards and becomes independent, I’m going to be forced to live in Baltrain.

I don’t know what’s beyond that. The role of the Special Instructor to the Knights of Rebelio may not be a lifetime appointment, just as my time running the family dojo was cut short.

Perhaps this is why my Old Man kicked me out and sent me here.

However, bearing an heir is a difficult story. I may be just not very active on that front, but I can’t just force a woman to bear the burden of having my child for the sake of making one.

The ideal path would be to have a child alongside a genuine romance.

I understand my disciples think well of me.

I understand that, but then it’s difficult to just move forward on their opinion alone. It will take a little longer to solve this problem.

“I’m home,” I said.

And while I was agonizing about such problems, I found myself back at my house.

When I just moved here, I didn’t know much about the streets around, but if you spend some amount of time navigating it, you’ll naturally remember the geography to some extent. Without any hesitation, I stepped through my front door.

“Mm. Welcome back,” Miu said, looking at me. Then, her eyes changed focus. “… What’s that?”

“Oh, this? I bought it because it was cheap,” I said, raising the bag of meat in my left hand.

“Hmph,” Miu said.

“You really like meat, don’t you, Miu?” I said.

“Shut up,” Miu grumbled.

If I can joke about her favorite food like this, I’m certain I’m not failing to provide for her. She’s not the type of person to be selfish because of her upbringing, so I have to make sure she doesn’t have any unseen anxieties and dissatisfaction building up.

“Should we have meat for the main course again today?” I asked.

“… Mm,” Miu went.

If you don’t bring the meat you bought on the table and ready to be eaten, it’s useless.

So, let’s enjoy cooking this meat today. That said, neither I nor Miu can cook anything elaborate.

When I make something, it’s like a working man’s dish, and when Miu makes something, it’s mostly stewed. She also seems to have improved her technique for cutting meat and vegetables a bit, and the number of irregular and lumpy cuts has decreased.

Even if you’re learning swords and magic, this world is not so kind that she can live the rest of her life with just those skills. Alexia, Selena, Thyssel, and the other disciples are all anomalies, it’s a bit of a quandary to find an average person among them.

Cooking is one of those necessary skills, but it is also the knowledge and skills necessary to be independent. I don’t have much to teach, but I still have to do the minimum job of being her guardian.

“What should we make today?” I asked. “That said, the menu isn’t that complicated.”

“Mm… it’d be better to bake it,” Miu said.

“Alright, let’s do that,” I said.

And with the princess’s declaration, the dinner menu is decided.

Alright, time for this Old Man to roll up his sleeves. That said, it’s just baking seasoned meat.