Ore wa Mada, Honki o Dashite Inai - CH 62

Canoe Doesn’t Choose a Sword

Translated by Mlzkzr

Edited by Mlzkzr

At the Kingdom of Aegina, in the Royal Capital Retim.

In the throne room, at the heart of the palace, I knelt on one knee, and was bowing to the king.

“Hermes Canoe, have answered your summons.”

“Ooh, Hermes-sensei. Raise your face, you don’t have to do that.”

“No, this is my main duty”

“You’re so stiff. It’s me who’s going to have to bow to sensei as his disciple.”

“Ugh”

I was at a loss for words, and my surroundings were buzzing.

The king’s constant use of the word “sensei” has made the ministers and nobles around me realize that my title of swordsmanship instructor isn’t just a decorative title.

At least, I knew that the king was planning to do just that, and the way he looked at me changed even more.

It’s a bad flow; as a vassal, I’ve been observing the normal etiquette, but I think it’s going in the wrong direction.

What kind of attitude is normal when the king becomes your disciple?

Umuu…… I don’t know.

I’m not sure, so I had no choice but to leave myself to the flow.

I stood up and acted as normal as possible, trying not to be as big of an ass as I can.

“What kind of business did you call me here for?”

When I tried a slightly more broken tone, the king was in a slightly better mood.

“Umu, I’m thinking of returning something to you.”

“Return? I don’t recall ever lending His Majesty anything.”

“It’s not exactly yours. You know of Selene-sama and your ancestors, right”

“Yes, well”

“Your ancestors left behind several swords. Since then, anyone who becomes an instructor of swordsmanship for the royal family must wear that sword as proof. So, it’s part of your formal attire.”

“I see”

“I said I would return it, because it was originally left by your ancestors.”

The king who said so, laughed heartily.

I see, I’ve swallowed the story.

I was a bit relieved.

In short, it was customary.

If it’s customary, it’s best to follow it and do as I was told.

I decided to stop wasting my breath and take a sword normally.

When the King beckoned, several servants came out from the side.

It was a total of three people, each pushing something like a wagon, and one sword is placed on each wagon.

In other words, it’s three blades.

“Your Majesty, this is……?”

“Umu, everything is left by your ancestor. You may take one of the blades you like with you.”

“Hah”

So you want me to choose one of the three huh.

Why am I doing that again …… I understood it as soon as I saw it.

The three of them were distinctly different.

They don’t look that different, but the one on the far left is a decent piece of work.

The one in the middle, has such a tremendous presence that even a child can tell the difference.

The one on the far right is nothing special, it’s just a sword sold on the street for a pittance.

Then I remembered the coin.

At the ceremony of inaugurating the head of the Canoe family, I recalled that time when I brought home the coin which had the most power and was told it was amazing.

It’s the same thing, isn’t it?

No, it’s too early to assume that.

There may be some further traps here.

“May I touch it?”

“Umu, compare them to your heart’s content. And take the sword that you like”

“Thank you very much”

Approaching the wagon, I took each of the three swords and compared them.

I casually observe my surroundings.

I could clearly see that the ministers were watching me with bated breaths.

I knew it was on to something.

The feeling of the one I picked in my hand is the same as my first impression.

The left one’s got some power―― moreover, it’s a work of art that has been given with magic power.

The one in the middle is an amazing sword that probably has the word “legendary” in its name.

The one on the right is still a normal sword. For better or worse, it is a mass-produced product that costs a fortune.

From these three, I’d say …… this one.

“I’ll take this one.”

With that, I picked up the sword on the right, the most ordinary sword there was.

Fuh, I guess it was a trap to get me to pick the one in the middle, but it was too overkill.

That kind of power, even a child who doesn’t know anything about it can understand that it’s “something amazing”.

It’s overkill. There’s no way I’m falling for that obvious trap.

I, am a man who can learn from his mistakes. (TN: Oh really)

And so on, and as I was secretly proud of my victory.

“Ooohh……”

“What a choice.”

“I see, I suppose that’s the Canoes for you.”

What?

Looking around, all the ministers were in a constant state of admiration.

What’s this about? Did I make the wrong choice?

I stare at the sword I have chosen again, checking things over.

But still, there’s nothing strange about it, it’s just a normal sword.

“Fuhahaha, I’m so happy, sensei”

“Wha,what do you mean?”

“Sensei doesn’t understand how great he is, huh. Well, they say geniuses often can’t understand why ordinary people are surprised by their actions.”

“Yeah……”

Seriously, what’s going on?

“Those three swords were said to have been used by your ancestors in their youth, middle age, and old age respectively.”

“Hah……”

“At first she used a decent sword. As she gained strength, she was able to shoot down powerful enemies and obtain the middle sword. Hence the sword in the middle, 『Foss』, was the very symbol of her power.”

I see, so that’s what it was.

“And in her later years, when she became the strongest, she no longer needed a sword. Even with the cheapest sword around, she could reign as the strongest. It’s the origin of the saying, 『Canoe doesn’t choose a sword』.”

“Ah……”

I may have heard that saying before.

……

…………

Eh?

That means……

“Canoe didn’t choose a sword, and you showed me exactly that. As expected of my sensei.”

My stock had risen once again because the place I avoided was the same place my ancestors had reached.