n

n

nRest Day at the Academy

nHikaru achieved great results from the mock fights. He now knew that his body actually recalled the things he learned. He devoted himself into the classes more and more, while Mille grew lazier each day.

nThere had been slight changes to the short sword lectures as well. Roy, the student from Jarazack, and even League, attended them. Mille, who was from Jarazack, was strict with her fellow countrymen, but acted timidly around Roy and League, who were from Rumania.

n「So hot…」

nToday was a holiday. In Scholarzard where winters were long, the academy only had two rest days per month during summer. Conversely during winter, school would be off for months.

nHikaru and Lavia were out in town. While they had furniture they needed, they were still missing a lot of things.

n「Hikaru, you look tanned.」

n「Really?」

nHikaru would attend classes in the morning and worked out in the afternoon to increase his stamina. It wasn’t too hot over all, but the sun was still strong. His skin had gained a healthy color.

nLavia wore a wide-brimmed hat. Her arms and legs sticking out through her bright green dress were barely tanned.

n「Well, you’ve been staying at the library all this time.」

n「They have a great mechanism to bring in sunlight indirectly. The bookrest gets bright, but it’s not hot.」

nEven indoors, they still relied on the light from the sun for light. Lavia’s skin was white as always, as the air conditioning and light reflection in the library worked well.

n「I’m glad you like the place.」

n「I want to see the short sword classes as well, but there’s just too many books I want to read.」

n「Well, uhh… I don’t think you should come. The place smells sweaty anyway.」

n「Where are we going today?」

n「You’re not buying anything in particular, right?」

n「No. I just need to pick up the clothes I ordered.」

n「Then let’s go there first.」

nThey made their way to the shop. Hikaru caught his breath the moment he saw Lavia with the clothes on.

n「How do I look?」

nSkirt as blue as her eyes, tied around the waist with a belt for easier movement. Long sleeves beautifully adorned. It looked simple. But according to the seamstress, it used high-quality fabric that nobles would choose. One look and anyone would know that.

n「It looks great on you. I wanted to have a formal dress made for you too, though.」

n「I don’t need one. I won’t be able to use it.」Lavia said, feeling embarrassed after Hikaru complimented her.

n「I understand how you feel, Sir. Anyone would want to buy a dress for such a beautiful lady.」the employee said with a straight face.

nPart of Hikaru wanted to buy one for Lavia, but the rational part of him said it would be useless once they left Scholarzard.

n「Isn’t it too hot to be wearing that in the summer, though?」

n「It’s for winter.」

nWith a look of regret, Lavia went back to wearing her dress. Hikaru ordered a few more clothes for Lavia for the long winter. After telling the employee to deliver them home, they left the shop.

n「Is there something you want?」Lavia asked.

n「It’s not really a great place for couple shopping, but I want to buy weapons and armor.」

nHikaru bought his current equipment from Pond. Now that he had more money, he wanted to get something better.

n「Wow… It’s much bigger than I expected.」

nOnly one place in Scholarzard sold weapons and armor. There were a few workshops around, but the stores had been merged into one. Apparently the segregation between manufacturing and selling was enacted a few years ago.

nZofira came up with the policy when she was only a government official, and pushed for it when she became prime minister. People tended to buy products from their own nation, so to combat this, everything was sold in one spot. Who manufactured them were not revealed as well.

nLong spears and great swords lined up the walls, the manufacturers’ signature hidden. Only the wooden tag with the price and material written was displayed. In another shelf were bows and arrows. They sold throwing knives as well. Although very few, there were short swords on display too.

n「They’re mostly used as backup weapons so it makes sense, I guess.」

nMost of them were sold in sets with long spears and swords, with emphasis on their light weight. Hikaru was not sure they were powerful enough.

n「I want something I can use for a long time.」

nHe glanced around and spotted a corner selling secondhand goods. Chipped long swords, maces with torn grips and leather – items that have been used for a long time. As such, they were dirt cheap.

n「Hmm?」

nSomething caught his eyes.

n「What’s that, Hikaru? It has quite a strange design.」

n「………」

nHe took the weapon.

n「It’s a wakizashi.」

nA weapon with a curved blade about fifty centimeters long. The shape of the handguard and grip reminded him of a Japanese style sword, but it was quite different. Specifically the motif. The crest was something from this world. Hikaru drew the blade from its sheath. It looked dull from being neglected for a long time.

nI sense mana, although faint.

nIt tripped his Mana Detection. The revolver he found in the dungeon had mana flowing through it as well. Is this a magic item too?

n「If it isn’t Hikaru.」

nIt was the great sword students. As soon as Lavia saw Roy, she quickly hid behind Hikaru.

n「Ah… I’m sorry about last time.」Roy apologized as soon as he saw her.

n「What’s going on here? What did you do, Roy?」one asked.

n「Uh, well…」

n「Not much. That’s all in the past. These filthy lot are students from the great sword class.」Hikaru said.

n「Why, hello there, Miss. Are you Hikaru’s… I guess there’s no need to ask.」

nBefore the Jarazack student could say anything, Lavia wrapped her arm around Hikaru’s.

n「You’re quite something, Hikaru. You already have that sexy short sword instructor.」

n「What do you mean…」Hikaru tried to deny it, but he froze when he felt the tightening grip on his arm.

n「Miss Lavia?」Hikaru asked.

n「Now that you mention it, you haven’t talked much about your classes. Is the professor a young woman perhaps?」

nHer voice was ice cold.

n「Yeah, but she’s not sexy at…」

n「I’ll attend classes with you starting tomorrow.」

n「Uh, sorry?」

n「I’m coming.」

nHikaru glared at the guys.

n「Professor Mille’s hot, right?」

n「Yeah! I can’t get my eyes off that ass!」

n「You don’t find a lot of women like her in Jarazack.」

nHey, guys! Can’t you feel the air freezing?! Hikaru couldn’t say a word.

n「Hikaru, are you buying that weapon?」Roy changed the topic.

n「Oh, I was just curious.」

n「A strange make. Can you use it?」

n「It’s single-edged. You just have to be careful. It’s used more for cutting rather than stabbing. If I’m right, it’s a powerful weapon.」

n「Oh. The short swords in this shop are actually rather thin.」Roy said.

n「Sounds like you know a lot.」Hikaru was impressed.

n「This guy has been looking into short swords ever since you beat him. He even checked this place out. But then he complained about every single one being different from what you had.」a student said.

n「Shut up!」

nRoy’s face was beet red.

n「What? You a fan of mine now?」

n「O-Of course, not! D-Don’t get the wrong idea!」

nA male tsundere, huh… yeah, no thanks.

nHikaru nodded to himself.

n「That’s a copy of the ones excavated from Zubura. I’m sure of it.」

n「A copy? Does Zubura make these weapons?」

n「No. They just excavate them. There are Zuburan shops here in Scholarzard, but you won’t find these types of weapon there. I saw a list of the relics they excavated once and saw this.」

n「What are the chances that this one’s a genuine relic?」

n「None. The government has strict control over them.」

n「I see.」

nHikaru unsheathed the wakizashi once more. He could feel mana rippling through it. Could it really be just a copy?

nJapan’s smithing techniques are unique and highly advanced. Assuming someone from Japan made it, why did the craft go obsolete?

nHikaru stopped thinking about it for now. Everything had a cause and an effect. However, you can try to guess all you want, but there would always be things you won’t know about. The cause might even turn out to be something completely trivial and unexpected.

n「I’ll buy it for now.」

nHikaru paid 10,000 gilans for it.

n「Are you buying anything, Lavia?」

n「I’ll get a short sword as well.」

n「I’d advise against it.」

n「I’m buying.」

n「…Okay.」

nHikaru chose a lighter one that she could use. The brand new ones were more expensive than the wakizashi, with the cheapest costing 30,000 gilans. Hikaru got her one that cost 40,000.

nThe sun was high up in the sky by the time they exited the store.

n「I’m hungry. Let’s grab something to eat, Hikaru.」one Jarazack student said.

n「Who says I’m eating with you guys?」

n「Come on. We eat lunch together every day at the tavern.」

n「Yeah, because you just tag along uninvited.」

n「Don’t be such a hard ass.」

nOne guy placed his arm around Hikaru’s shoulder. Sweltering, Hikaru tried to push him aside, but another guy did the same from the opposite side.

n「Let’s go! Food tastes better with more people!」

n「Yup!」

n「You just want to get in the way of our shopping, don’t you?」

n「「「Damn right!」」」

n「You can rest easy, Lavia-chan. We’ll keep an eye on him so he doesn’t cheat on you.」

n「I, uhh…」Lavia muttered.

n「Like I’ve been saying. Professor Mille is not hot at all. There’s no way I would cheat on you.」

n「Yeah, yeah. All right, let’s go to Three Cheers for Booze!」

n「Hikaru, we always have lunch separately. So you’ve been going to a pub all this time?」

n「Look! You made her mad again! What are you guys gonna do about it?!」

n「Well, it’s the truth. Nothing we can do about it.」

n「Why are you running?!」

nThe students ran away from Hikaru… No, rather, from Lavia.

nHikaru tried to change Lavia’s mind, but she insisted, so in the end they had lunch in Three Cheers for Booze.

nLavia met Mille for the first time who was dead drunk. Hikaru snapped at her to which she replied “Come on, we have the day off!”

n「See? She’s not hot at all.」Hikaru said.

n「I’m surprised to see there’s a woman you’re close with. I must keep an eye out.」Lavia answered.

nIt was the exact opposite reaction than what Hikaru hoped for.

nAfter lunch, Hikaru grabbed Lavia and used Group Obfuscation to throw off his pursuers.

n「Damn it! Where’d they go?!」

n「I’m calling my countrymen for backup to help with the search!」

n「Don’t let them get away! We can’t let them have a fun time together!」

n「Us Rumanians will lend a hand as well.」

n「Now that’s what I’m talking about, Roy!」

n「What’s going on with those guys? Rumania and Jarazack sure get along well.」

nHikaru and Lavia entered a café to catch their breath. The customers here were eighty percent women. Those guys would never come here.

nLavia suddenly chuckled, and Hikaru eyed her dubiously.

n「You’ve really blended in with the academy.」

n「They just love barging into my private space.」

nHikaru looked displeased, but the truth is, he didn’t really mind.

n「Oh, if it isn’t Hikaru.」

nA familiar voice.

n「League?!」

nThe young man from the Green Ogre clan. He had company… a lot of them.

n「A friend of yours, Lord League?」

n「I see you’re quite famous outside of Rumania too, my Lord.」

n「Lord League, so you know a great place like this.」

n「Lord League, there are vacant seats over there!」

n「I’m sitting next to Lord League!」

n「Hey, no fair!」

nThey were all women. Six of them.

n「Uh, see you at the academy.」League said, feeling awkward, before getting dragged by the women.

n「Wow. So women will flock to you if you’re a member of the most powerful clan in Rumania.」Lavia said.

nHikaru, on the other hand, didn’t feel right about all this.

nHey, Roy! The enemy of all men was right here all along!

n