CH ss - 3

[Alfine: Sword Master’s Job]

※ Alfine’s POV

It’s been two weeks since I broke up with Finn.

In the meantime, through the royal capital’s Adventurer’s Guild, the adventurers are being sent to search for Finn’s whereabouts.

However, the report from the butler was not good.

Even though they have searched, they can’t find Finn’s whereabouts in the royal capital or nearby towns.

From the collected rumor, his last sighting was when he was heading in the direction of the stagecoach that was going to the frontier.

Don’t tell me, Finn really leaves me behind and go to the frontier…

However, regardless of his sword skill, there is no way he can live without meーhis protectorー in the frontier without a helping hand.

Maybe, he is partnering with another adventurer…

Recently, I’ve heard that he had been teaming up with other adventurers when I was gone on the business of the royal castle…unexpected, right.

Moreover, I’ve asked the adventurers who had teamed up with Finn about the place where he’s most likely to be at.

They advised me, “After Finn cool his head, he’ll definitely come back, so why don’t you be a little kinder to him then.”

That’s why I thought that Finn wasn’t going far, so I focused on searching the vicinity…

When I saw the sword, which was a proof of the promise with Finn, I was overwhelmed by discomfort and my heart tightened.

I wonder if he left this behind, not to rebuke me, but he really meant this as our parting…no, no way, right.

The sword in front of me was a proof of our promise when become adventurers that when we become successful and got a huge amount of money, we will build an orphanage to look after orphans like us, it is a sword we gift to each other with that meaning.

Although, after we became successful as adventurers and managed to reach platinum rank it became unusable, Finn was always carefully maintaining this sword.

Of course, I also still maintaining the sword that Finn gave me.

Finn…where did you go…idiot…what has become of that promise…

I could only taunt his sword in his place.

When I was feeling like I was going to feel down while looking at Finn’s sword, the door to my room was knocked.

“Alfine-sama, today is the day for you to instruct swordsmanship to the Knight Order at the royal castle. Please make your preparation and change your clothes.”

“I will finish my changing soon. Make the preparations to go the castle.”

“I understand.”

The butler replied through the door and went downstairs.

Speaking of which, today was the day to attend at the royal castle.

Along with the title Sword Master awarded by the King, I was also assigned as the Royal Guard Knight Order swordsmanship instructor as part of my role as a noble, so I can’t abandon my work.

When I thought about how I am going to instruct swordsmanship to those soft noble knights again, I become depressed.

Their equipments and swords are one thing, but their sword arm was even inferior than the iron rank adventurers, and it is annoying that there are people who made a pass to me even when Finn was there.

When I made a deep sigh, I decided to put away Finn’s sword, which I had finished the maintenance of, and change into my formal clothes to attend at the castle from my sleepwear.

“Haaaa!”

“Slow, and the aim of your thrust is easy to read, and your accuracy is bad as well.”

Lightly repelling the sword thrusted toward me, I thrust my wooden sword toward the gap formed on the right shoulder of the opponent knight.

“Gah!”

The tip of the wooden sword that entered the gap of his armor caused serious damage to the knight.

The knight, who was hit by me, dropped the sword he had in his hand and fell to his knees on the ground.

“I-, I surrender. To be dealt with this much damage from just one attack of a woman, I’m a failure.”

As expected, this knight also can only talk but have no ability to back it up.

Before becoming a Royal Guard Knight, I heard that he was an adventurer and survived many battles while being a noble, but if compared to Finn and me, his skills are levels below us.

“I think that you also have good skills. However, you took too much time when you were shifting your attacks so it may be taken advantage of by the opponent.”

I would like to say that if he move in such a way in a battle with a strong monster, his neck and torso will be separated immediately and he will be dead.

However, he is chosen as a Royal Guard Knight because he is a son of a great noble.

Therefore, I had to choose my words when instructing, which was also the cause of my stress.

“As expected of Alfine-dono, who was recognized as “Sword Master” by the King. What a precise instruction.”

The one who called out was Gile, the commander of the Royal Guard Knight, who was watching the mock battle.

The troublesome man increased by one more…

The man in front of me is Gile Radcliffe, who is also the son of the great noble Radcliffe family, whose father is the prime minister, and himself is also the commander of the Royal Guard Knight.

He is a young man with a neat look, and he seems to be popular with noble daughters.

However, from my point of view, he is just a “pampered boy with a nice face.”

The existence of Gile was another stress factor for me.

“Everyone calls Alfine-dono as the Sword Goddess. The way you fight is also beautiful. I’m satisfied just by seeing your figure.”

“Even if you praise me that way, the practice will continue. Gile-dono, next is your turn.”

Whatever reason you use, I won’t let you off the sword practice.

His ability is the lowest among the weak Royal Guard Knights.

He was a man who holds the position of the commander of the Royal Guard Knights only because of his connection.

If it’s only that much, I could still close my eyes because it would not damage me.

However, his problem was not only that.

“By the way, Alfine-dono’s lover, Finn-dono, disappeared, huh. I overheard the rumors from people of the town.”

The eyes that were dyed in lasciviousness were turned to here.

He was an unequaled lecherous man who was rumored of having love affairs with innumerable noble daughters.

Exposed to such gaze, I feel that my simmering anger is about to burst out.

I couldn’t stop my attitude toward Finn from becoming more irritating than when I was an adventurer, because there was so much stress from this man.

“If you have the time to go into such baseless rumor, why don’t you pick up your sword as a Royal Guard Knight who should become a shield that protect the King.”

I conceal my anger and endure the lascivious gaze from this pampered boy of a great noble.

If I leave it to my anger and fight him seriously, even though I am the swordsmanship instructor, the one who will be punished is me.

“I was also very concerned about Alfine-dono. If you’d like, I’ll be ready to talk to you anytime.”

Even though the Royal Guard Knights will immediately pull their sword when I told them so, Gile did not listen to me, and did not take off his lascivious gaze.

This man…didn’t listen to people, and keep pointing his insolent gaze here, I’m seriously disgusted…

If he’s not the heir of a great noble and the commander of the Royal Guard Knight, I will beat him on the spot and hang him from the top of the castle gate.

“It’s fine. Besides, Finn was only going to training alone, so don’t worry, because he’ll be back soon.”

“That’s a shame. However, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me. Since Alfine-dono is an important swordsmanship instructor of the Royal Guard Knights.”

After saying that, Gile disappeared from the training field without even pulling out his sword.

Aah-, seriously that pampered boy noble, saying only what he wants to say and disappear, irritatiiiiiiing!!

I badly wanted to bite my nails due to these piled up stress, but I could not bite it in public, so I was irritated.

“From this point, we will do 1vs100 practice battle royal. The Royal Guard Knights in this place, pull out your swords!”

I decided to try to get rid of a lot of frustration, and decided to do battle royal against the Royal Guards Knights.

Listening to the 1vs100 practice battle royal with me, I saw the Royal Guard Knights turned into frightened chickens.

“I’m a little sick-”

“Me too–”

“It’s about time for tea–”

“As the swordsmanship instructor, I’ll note down the name of the person who doesn’t participate in the practice and report it to the King.”

The Royal Guard Knights who were trying to escape stopped all at once.

They are afraid of losing the favor of the King and lose their noble status.

Even though I’m an upstart, if the King was informed from me of their playing truant from the sword training, they’ll be in trouble.

Thus, I did a 1vs100 practice battle royal with the motivated Royal Guard Knights.

The result, no one could hit me, and everyone collapsed while throwing the contents of their stomach on the ground.