[123] A New Encounter (4)
"Ah… my report card? My sister has it."
"Reina? Why? Bring it back."
"I don't know. She grabbed it to show Grandpa. How was I supposed to guess what that witch would do? Anyway, hurry up and give me the sword. I've wanted one since I was a kid and trained so hard for it."
The sword Rian pleaded for was the Ozent family's jikdo, a weapon specialized for their style of swordsmanship. It was a greatsword—roughly twice the weight of a normal longsword, with a blade so long you needed height and strength to handle it.
Rian had set his sights on an Ozent jikdo from the moment he began sword training. The particular sword he'd laid claim to had been his grandfather's.
Klump had long intended to pass his blade down to Rian. Among his blood children, the blue-haired line continued through Reina and Rian; apart from the girl Reina, Klump believed there was no one else who could wield his sword but Rian.
"The sword's in Grandpa's room. But you said you were going out—why are you suddenly looking for it? Tess, I suppose, since you came all this way—"
"I have my reasons. I'll go fetch it."
Rian sprinted up to his grandfather's room. The sword was more than anyone who hadn't even opened a Skima ought to handle, but he was determined to take it on this trip.
Shirone was clearly planning to explore ruins. Like thread following a needle, if Shirone charged into danger, wouldn't Rian need to be at his side to protect him?
This is the Ozent family's great jikdo.
Rian stared at the greatsword hanging in his grandfather's room with awed reverence. It was the Ozent form infused with the family spirit—something said to be difficult to even swing before opening a Skima.
Of course, he still couldn't open a Skima. Still, Rian lifted the sword with one hand and drew it forward.
"It's heavy, but not so heavy I can't swing it."
He'd been burned by that ridiculous "imaginary Skima" ruling, and it still stung. But Rian never wallowed in defeat; he chose to look at the bright side.
Skima or not, once he'd passed the strength-enhancement check, his strength was what it was. He'd have to open the Skima someday, but for now he could manage.
Because the blade was so heavy, carrying it in an iron scabbard would be awkward. Rian strapped on a net-like cowhide scabbard and slotted the jikdo across his back.
It would draw attention, but wearing a sword wasn't illegal.
Outside special zones designated by the city, anyone could carry a blade so long as they followed the rules.
Commoners: Sector Level C. Nobles: Sector Level B. Royalty: Sector Level A.
Rian strode down the stairs with the jikdo on his back. But no one paid him the attention he expected.
Head steward Louis opened the main gate and announced, "Master, young master Shirone has arrived."
Shirone entered the hall with Amy and first went to pay his respects to Bishop.
Bishop was outwardly stern and taciturn, but very family-oriented—he even took a day off when his son was coming home. From Shirone's point of view, Bishop was known as the patron who'd helped him attend the Magic Academy and had looked after his parents' household so nothing was lacking.
"Hello. I hope you've been well."
"Yes. I've heard you're doing well."
"I was promoted to Class Four. Thanks to your help. I'm grateful."
Bishop gave a wry smile as memories of Rian's past flickered through his mind. Class Four—what sort of talent did it take to reach Class Four only half a year after entering the Academy?
Of course, he wasn't the sort of parent to foolishly compare children. He simply worried, as someone who evaluated these things, whether Rian—now bound by a knight's oath—would be a good fit in Shirone's household.
"You earned it through hard work. I'm glad the support paid off. I heard Rian, out of his depth, was going on a trip with a pretty lady—are you going too?"
"Yes. I'll be coming along."
"And the young lady beside you is your partner?"
Bishop turned his gaze to the red-haired girl. Her face was familiar, but he couldn't place her.
"Hello. I'm Carmis Amy."
Bishop's eyes lit up. Louis, Rian, and even Tess glanced at Amy with curiosity.
The Carmis family, a first-rank noble house, didn't hold the absolute top rank within the kingdom, but their free-spirited nature and brilliant talents had given them renown across the continent.
Achievements that transcended any single nation were their hallmark.
Bishop didn't believe family rank alone defined a house's worth; too many nobles rose through flattery and base means. Such people disregarded legitimacy and even altered family customs in their scramble for power. But families like Elzain or Carmis were of another stature entirely.
Legitimacy is built on conviction. Their pride—choosing a single path since the kingdom's founding—couldn't be bought with money or influence.
"All right, all right. We'll talk later—let's go. If we want to catch the ship, we need to leave now!"
Rian tried to ease the mood. Although Bishop had given his blessing, anxiety still gnawed at him.
By now Reina's express mail would be flying like an arrow.
The moment the report card was opened, heaven could disappear and hell itself begin—everyone knew how that would go.
"Father, I'll be back in about ten days."
"Good. You trained hard—go have fun. Oh, and use this for travel expenses."
Bishop tossed a heavy pouch of gold. Rian gaped when he looked inside; he had never received so much money from his father before.
Bishop felt genuinely pleased. When Rian had sworn the knight's oath, he had feared he might ruin his only son, but not only had Rian mastered a stubborn Skima, he'd also made a good friend. And Shirone, who would become Rian's lord, was steadily growing on his own merits.
If training was an investment for real combat, paying half a year's wages made sense.
Rian felt guilty, but guilt was a luxury. His mind was full of only one thing: getting out of this house alive.
"All right. We'll be back with the others. Ah, Temuran—have a carriage waiting at the port."
"As you wish. Have a pleasant journey."
Temuran watched Rian off with a pitying look. His cold sweat and the way he hurried away made the situation obvious.
I can only hold out ten minutes. Good luck, young master.
Temuran's attention lingered on the envelope tucked in his coat: express mail from Reina that had just arrived from the capital.
* * *
Perhaps because the servants were busier than usual, not a single spare carriage was free. The dedicated carriage could be used, but saddling and preparing it would take an hour.
Rian insisted maintenance wasn't needed, but he had to let them at least check the wheel bolts. If an accident happened, the carriage keeper would take the blame.
The four of them waited near the stables.
For a while there was little conversation—the awkward silence that comes with first meetings. But each person ran through countless assessments in their heads.
Tess watched Shirone first. She knew he aspired to be a mage; given that Rian had sworn a knight's oath, she'd pictured a hot-blooded youth. In person, though, Shirone was surprisingly gentle and composed.
Carmis Amy intrigued her as well. Carmis—the continent's star—what were people from that house like?
In the end Tess spoke first. At least within the carriage, there shouldn't be awkwardness.
"Shall we introduce ourselves? I'm Tess Elzain."
"I'm Carmis Amy. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, I'm Arian Shirone."
Tess shook Shirone's hand, then cocked her head at his family name.
True to the Elzain family's diplomatic bent, she knew most noble houses' names—but she'd never heard of the Arian house.
"Ah, Arian, huh. Um… is your main branch in Creas?"
Tess asked carefully so as not to offend. Shirone, reading her intent, answered frankly.
"Oh, I don't have a main house. I'm a commoner."
"What? A commoner?"
Tess's eyes went wide. At first she thought he'd misspoken through nerves. Otherwise, why would Rian take a knight's oath for a commoner?
She glanced at Amy. No change in expression meant Amy already knew.
What on earth was going on? What was Rian thinking? And why would Amy—of the Carmis family—follow a commoner as a partner? Wasn't this supposed to be a couples' trip?
Having never met Shirone before, Tess was understandably confused. Rian's choice struck her even more forcefully.
Even if Shirone had remarkable talent, refusing to discriminate by status was easier said than done.
And this wasn't casual friendship—it was a lifetime knight's oath.
"In a way… this is so like Rian."
Tess fumbled for a response, and Shirone spoke up first.
"Sorry. If it's uncomfortable, we can—"
"No, I was rude. I was just so shocked I lost my head. But… am I the only one who thinks this is strange? You all act so calm I feel like I'm the bad one, hahahaha!"
Tess quickly smoothed things over. Whether commoner or noble, he was Rian's lord—and that deserved genuine respect, not flippancy.
Shirone felt Tess was a righteous person. He liked that she made people laugh even while lowering herself—that was sincere consideration.
"Thanks for saying that. I've heard a lot. That you're Rian's lover."
"Oh my, what are you talking about? Did we really look like lovers? Do we look that good together? Hahahaha!"
Tess was starting to like Shirone. Rian, meanwhile, flushed crimson. He had to destroy that misconception, but because Tess treated Shirone kindly, he kept his mouth shut.
Amy glanced at Rian with a hint of surprise. At first, when she'd heard about going to the island, she'd assumed some lecherous fellow had planned it—but Rian turned out to be blunt and surprisingly considerate.
The Ozent family had built itself on swordsmanship; rumor had it there was one genius in the black-haired line, but this one was blue-haired.
Their noble rank put them in the second tier—no royal house—but their uncompromising, stubborn nature made them what politics called a "pure" house.
In peacetime their influence in politics was modest, but in a national crisis their block of votes could swing the balance—so they were never to be underestimated.
While Amy mulled that over, Tess sized up Shirone and Amy.
Both were pretty with keen eyes, and though she didn't know their true personalities, she sensed both had the same sort of stubborn streak.
"By the way, what's your relationship? Now that I see you, you really suit each other. Are you lovers?"
Tess pointed between them, and Amy felt a small sting—as if she'd been lumped in with a bunch of children playing together.