We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
New weapons.
“Hey, Uncle Luludodo, listen to me! On our way here, I was attacked by a group of skeleton monsters ten times in three days. And yet, the only reward I got was five Earth Attribute Magic Crystal Stones.”
I must have defeated over a hundred skeletons by myself!
But most of them were buried under the sand in the desert, and I couldn’t retrieve them.
It was truly a loss to be attacked by them.
I’m sure everyone else had a similar harvest.
After traveling through the desert with Amira, Alf, and the people from the Holy Knight Academy for three days, we finally arrived at a small settlement.
Around a small spring, about ten simple stone houses were lined up. In one of them, Uncle Luludodo was staying, waiting for the return of the Great Sandworm subjugation team.
As soon as I reunited with Uncle Luludodo, I complained about the unreasonable hardships of our journey through the desert.
Uncle Luludodo, laughing heartily at my troubles, munched on dried meat.
“Gahaha! That’s a stroke of bad luck. But if I tell you something even more disappointing, those Earth Attribute Magic Crystal Stones are worth nothing more than gravel in this desert? After all, this is a land of sand and rocks as far as the eye can see. The usefulness of Earth Attribute Magic Crystal Stones is limited, and they are abundant.”
“Eh…”
“Moreover, if you try to sell them outside the desert, the transportation costs are higher than the selling price. It’s a complete disaster, isn’t it?”
“Ehhhh!”
“Therefore, your efforts were utterly in vain. Gahaha!”
Uncle Luludodo laughed with immense delight.
Before I knew it, Alf was also laughing without restraint.
“Ah, so you knew all along and kept it from me?! …Or rather, if Alf knew, then?”
I hesitantly looked at Amira, and she, with a very troubled expression, averted her gaze from me.
“Hahaha. Elnea, Amira is not to blame. I told her not to say anything.”
Alf said this while patting my back vigorously.
Without a doubt, Alf had been enjoying watching me desperately collect Magic Crystal Stones!
Damn it.
“Haha, it’s a good personality to enjoy toying with Elnea-kun?”
“I knew from the beginning that your actions were meaningless.”
“I agree with Cadis. Your figure, desperately pursuing something futile, was truly comical and amusing.”
“So I was abandoned by the Extremely Evil Demon Race from the start!?”
Ruilala, Cadis, and Srain also laughed as if my toils were amusing.
Uncle Luludodo, while not sparing a glance at the three demons, asked a question.
“So, Elnea, may I hear the reason why you came to the desert with demons?”
Uncle Luludodo’s interest was directed particularly at Srain.
He’s amazing. He must have already seen that Srain is the one I need to be most wary of.
Srain, while laughing at me, turned his attention to Uncle Luludodo.
I was worried that they might suddenly start fighting, but I recounted to Uncle Luludodo what I had told Alf and Amira about our journey so far.
“…Hmm, those brats from Magdalia. I see, so that’s why you’ve ventured to this desert.”
Stroking his bushy beard, Uncle Luludodo nodded.
“And you, like Alf and Amira, are hoping to enroll in the Holy Knight Academy?”
Uncle Luludodo’s gaze traveled sequentially over me, Ruilala, Cadis, and Srain.
It felt like I was being appraised.
After carefully observing us, Uncle Luludodo then shifted his gaze to the Holy Knight Academy students of the Great Sandworm subjugation team.
“Well then, I shall ask you. Traveling all this way, do you believe Elnea and the others possess the ability to enroll in the Holy Knight Academy?”
While I was tilting my head, wondering why Uncle Luludodo was asking the students such a question, the students looked at each other and reached a unified opinion.
“Certainly, the three demons are individuals of impeccable ability.”
Ruilala and the others had also defeated countless skeleton monsters on their journey.
Moreover, if students of the Holy Knight Academy are genuine powerhouses, they would surely perceive the glint of skill from Srain and the others, even if they were hiding their true identities.
Yes, yes, their assessment is not wrong! I nodded inwardly.
In that case, they must also recognize my ability to defeat skeleton monsters with such ease!
I looked at the students with eyes full of anticipation, and our gazes met.
“Elnea’s evaluation is…”
“My evaluation?”
As I swallowed hard with a dry throat, the students said.
“We don’t really know!”
“No, he probably has the ability…”
“He wasn’t losing to the skeletons, and I think he has the courage to charge into a horde of monsters alone?”
“But still…?”
“The Holy Knight Academy is a place to hone sword techniques, various arts, and combat skills.”
“However, Elnea’s techniques are…”
All eyes were fixed on the two wooden swords I wore at my waist.
Uncle Luludodo also looked at my weapons, drawn by their attention.
“Hmm, were your weapons such wooden branches?”
“Th-they’re not wooden branches!”
These are legitimate…!
“Indeed, it is difficult to evaluate the fighting style of someone who scatters skeletons wielding strange wooden branches in both hands.”
“Is there any master or student who is knowledgeable about fighting with wooden branches as weapons?”
“No, there probably isn’t anyone at the Holy Knight Academy who has mastered such a peculiar technique, is there?”
“Then, it’s still…?”
All the students looked at me.
And they gave their answer.
“To be frank, Elnea’s techniques seem to be outside the scope of the Holy Knight Academy’s admission criteria.”
“W-what did you say!?”
Alf said to me.
To enroll in the Holy Knight Academy, recommendations from skilled individuals are not enough. It is difficult to gain admission unless your abilities are recognized by the students who strive and train at the Holy Knight Academy.
“Y-you mean, Ruilala and the others are recognized for their abilities, but I am not? N-no way!”
Seeing my outcry, Srain and the others laughed with genuine amusement.
In the small settlement, after reuniting with Uncle Luludodo, we set out on our desert journey once more.
The students apparently returned to the Holy Knight Academy after completing the subjugation of the Great Sandworm they had undertaken. So, we were traveling with them.
“By the way, why is Uncle Luludodo the escort for all the students?”
From what I learned during our journey after reuniting with Uncle Luludodo, not only Alf and Amira, but also other students respected Uncle Luludodo and were in a position to receive guidance from him.
Perhaps he’s taken on many disciples at the Holy Knight Academy?
If so, why?
It might be fine while Alf and Amira are staying at the Holy Knight Academy, but once they resume their training journey around the world, I won’t be able to bring them along, right?
When I asked this, Uncle Luludodo sighed slightly and told me, “This is quite troublesome.”
“It seems the institution called the Holy Knight Academy has a rather peculiar structure.”
Various schools of swordsmanship. Many weapon types. Differences in strengths and weaknesses. The ultimate goal of the Holy Knight Academy, where individuals with diverse techniques and knowledge gather, is to produce new Sword Saints.
However, the problem arises in how to guide these strong individuals who have gathered with high aspirations.
“Even as students, they are all skilled individuals. A mediocre person wouldn’t be recognized by the students as an instructor, would they?”
“Now that you mention it? It would be troublesome if the teacher had less skill than oneself or offered no benefits from their instruction, wouldn’t it?”
“Right? So, the Holy Knight Academy has criteria for instructors as well.”
Uncle Luludodo spoke.
“First, priority is given to masters of a school of swordsmanship.”
If the schools of swordsmanship differ, then the way of wielding the sword, the movements of the body, the mindset in battle, and whether one is offensive or defensive all differ.
Since a Sword Saint is a title that refers to the pinnacle of all swordsmen, it is important to learn techniques and mindsets different from one’s own school.
Perhaps that is why masters of each school are given priority to become instructors at the Holy Knight Academy.
“Next are those who have earned fame.”
Among adventurers and explorers, there are formidable warriors and those who have achieved great deeds. It is precisely because they are recognized by many that their names spread.
Those who have achieved such accomplishments and whose names are widely known can also become instructors.
“Then, Uncle Luludodo, perhaps you were chosen as an instructor for the latter reason?”
Uncle Luludodo himself is a veteran warrior who has traveled the world for five hundred years.
The founder of the Holy Knight Academy, with the goal of producing Sword Saints, would surely know of Uncle Luludodo… or perhaps not!
When I asked this, Uncle Luludodo nodded.
“That’s right. When Alf and Amira were to be enrolled, they inquired about me, asking where I had been known from, and requested that I work as an instructor during their enrollment.”
“Uncle Luludodo, the teacher!”
“Remove the ‘Uncle’ from it.”
Alf and Amira laughed. However, the other students did not laugh at Uncle Luludodo.
It seems Uncle Luludodo is respected by the students as an instructor.
“You understand about me. Now, it’s your turn. Why are you wielding mere wooden branches?”
“We’re back to where we started before we left!”
The Spirit Current Swords I had borrowed from Lord Reed were not sheathed at my waist. Instead, two mysterious wooden branches were sheathed, exuding a strange presence.
On my left hip, a branch with bark, not entirely unlike a wooden sword.
On my right hip, a slender branch branching into several parts, with leaves remaining at the tips, no longer resembling a wooden sword.
My family would immediately recognize these as special wooden swords, but…
However, I cannot reveal the true nature of these wooden swords in public.
“Actually, my partner suspected me of cheating… and as punishment, I’m being forced to carry these wooden swords.”
This happened before we left.
Upon returning to the Forbidden Territory, we went to report our journey and future plans to Spirit Tree as usual.
And then!
“Cheating, cheating! You went to play with another Spirit Tree besides me!”
Spirit Tree swayed its branches and leaves wildly, suspecting me!
“Waaaaah, I forgave you for the Spirit Current Sword thinking it was for training, but now I’m angry!”
“She’s angry, she’s angry.”
“Ares-chan, you have no intention of clearing my suspicion!?”
Mistral and the others only laughed, saying, “Spirit Tree is jealous adorably,” and showed no signs of helping.
“Elnea, you’re going on a sword training journey to the desert from now on, right? Then, take my branches with you so you don’t cheat. And no Spirit Current Sword!”
“Ehhhhh!”
And so, I ended up wearing Spirit Tree’s branches, chosen and broken by Ares-chan, as wooden swords!
But well, I can’t explain this in public.
Seeing me silent and troubled, Uncle Luludodo seemed to sense something and patted my back encouragingly with a hearty laugh.
“Knowing you, I’m sure the admission qualification issue can be resolved somehow. Gahaha!”
Uncle Luludodo’s laughter echoed in the desert night.
This attracted monsters, and tonight, we were once again engaged in unprofitable labor.
