“Whew… Well, back to that, is it still impossible to go there on your own?”
Since our playful banter has settled down, we return to the living room of the mountain cabin where we live. I pull out a chair for Gramps, urging him to sit, and we resume our conversation.
Gramps, who despite being trained is rather slender, slowly sits down and speaks.
“Yeah. It’s a pity, but I don’t know if I can get to King’s Landing with this body.”
Gramps injured his back three years ago, when I was fourteen.
Until then, Gramps would spar with me every morning, but even with all his training, he is still in his seventies. It seems he couldn’t resist the effects of old age.
By the way, I never won a single spar. The sharpness of his techniques, despite his age, was amazing, which now that I know he held the title of “Sword Saint” makes perfect sense. I was just starting to see a path to victory not long before he hurt his back…it’s not sour grapes. Not at all.
So, now in the mornings, Gramps watches me practice forms and swings, and in my free time after finishing the chores, I hunt monsters that are a nuisance to the village at the foot of the mountain, for practical combat experience.
“Normally, it would be natural for me to go myself, but simply because my body doesn’t move, it doesn’t mean I can ignore an old friend’s request. This is a very troublesome matter for you, but there isn’t anyone else who can take my place. I didn’t train you in a way that would allow you to easily lose your life.”
Getting involved in this matter is a guaranteed way to get caught up in political strife, so there is a risk to my life.
Even so, I think that the reason why Gramps isn’t too worried is not because he’s insensitive, but because he truly trusts my abilities, as he says.
I can tell this from his expression after all these years, and it makes me happy.
“Besides, you’ve said before that you wanted to travel, haven’t you? Well, it will be different from a carefree journey, and the first destination is fixed to the royal capital, but there’s also the aspect of wanting you to leave these mountains and get to know the outside world.”
Indeed, as a reincarnated former Japanese person, I’m very interested in the fantasy-like cityscapes. Since Gramps took me in, I’ve lived in the mountains all this time. So, I reply frankly.
“Well, after hearing you talk about the sights and scenes of various tourist spots so many times, I’ve come to want to see them myself.”
When Gramps has been drinking, he talks about the past more. The previous king, who was surprisingly energetic, often went on diplomatic and domestic inspection trips himself, and he was often his bodyguard as they went around to various places. However, he avoided mentioning the story of being a Sword Saint until now, which I just heard for the first time.
T/N: “Sword Saint” or “Kensei” is a very prestigious title, and in many settings is associated with a legendary swordsman.
Gramps hates being the center of attention. That said, I am a little sad to be leaving the nest, but I want to take on this request.
I want to live up to Gramps’ trust, and since he rarely asks me for anything, it is a good opportunity to show him filial piety.
However, there are still some remaining issues.
“It’s fine for me to go, but even if I do, wouldn’t it not be helpful to support the former King Spike, and by extension, Princess Riri? Even if I am a disciple of the Sword Saint, this little girl doesn’t have much persuasive power, and I don’t have any achievements. Also, isn’t it impossible for you, Gramps, with your bad back, to live alone in this mountain cabin?”
As I express my acceptance and remaining questions, Gramps, as if having prepared the answers already, nods slightly and says:
“I see, so you will go. If I hear that, then that’s good for now. I have a plan for those various problems. We’ll talk as we descend the mountain, so once you are prepared for the trip, we will go to the village. First, we need to meet the contact person.”
…A contact person, you mean the person who brought the letter? They stayed in the village while waiting for a reply.
Or, should I say, preparing for the trip, does that mean we’re leaving right away?
This is developing fast!
I was thinking of leaving in a few days, so I’m not, not mentally prepared…
