Chapter 1: An Old Country Bumpkin Takes Up Teaching

“Ummm... I think it’s this way.”

After my daily training, I left the office and started heading somewhere besides home. Though I had a set destination, I didn’t really know the way there. I was pretty sure I was going in the right direction, at least.Should’ve asked Curuni to come along...But I didn’t want to bother her.

“Oh, there it is.”

Either way, it seemed I’d chosen the right path. I spotted a small smithy squeezed into a row of compact buildings a little off the central district’s main street.

Made it here.

“Excuse me.”

“Yo, welco— Ooh, Master!”

A hearty voice greeted me as I opened the door. This was Balder’s Smithy, the shop run by my former pupil. We’d bought Curuni’s zweihander here, and Balder had forged my sword from Zeno Grable’s materials.

Balder’s as big as ever. I guess a blacksmith needs to be bulging with muscles to do his work.

“What’s up?” Balder asked.

“I’d like you to check my sword.”

“Hmmm?”

I saw a suspicious glimmer in his eyes. I hadn’t done anything I should feel guilty about, so why was he looking at me like that?

“Something happen?” he asked.

“Well, I used it a bittoo much.”

I removed the sheathed sword from my belt and handed it to Balder. From what I could tell, the blade wasn’t visibly damaged. But that was the opinion of an amateur—it was best to leave this stuff to the experts. The idea of walking around with a sword in questionable condition made me anxious.

“Hmmm... All righty, then. Lemme take a peek.”

“Yeah, please do.”

Balder drew the sword. His eyes were so intense that it was like he was having a staring contest with the blade. He touched it every now and then and ran a cloth along its