Chapter 10

First of all, I'm sorry. I started writing and various ideas came to mind, so I added them. As a result, the explanation of the protagonist, the Dragon Slayer, has been postponed until next time.

To be precise, it's about the reason why the protagonist doesn't become a complete ultimate being.

This time, most of the story is about Grandma Shino.

When I think about it, Grandma Shino is there to help the protagonist grow, yet she seems like a heroine...

In fact, there isn't even a heroine in this story... orz

He is dreaming. While Nozumu doesn't know where he is, he at least realizes it's a dream.

He stands alone in a pitch-black space. There is no ground in this space, and water spreads out like a lake.

There is nothing around him except for the water, and not even the wind blows. There are no waves on the water, and no sound can be heard.

Suddenly, he looks down and sees something huge in the water. It is a massive black body with six wings of five colors. It is the Dragon King Tiamat.

The giant dragon gazes intently at him. Nozumu can't tell what emotion lies behind its eyes.

They stare at each other in silence for a while, and gradually the surroundings begin to brighten. It seems he is about to wake up.

Feeling a bit relieved that he is still alive, he shifts his gaze back to the dragon.

The dragon is still staring at him, but its expression remains unreadable. Nozumu, feeling a twinge of unease, is swallowed by a white light.

"Hey, you're awake, huh."

"Whoa!"

The wrinkled face of an old woman appears up close, and Nozumu can't help but shout and kick off the futon he was sleeping in. The next moment, he receives a powerful punch to the face. With his body covered in wounds, the impact resonates through his injuries, and he ends up writhing in pain, unable to make a sound.

"Master, that's too much..."

"Who's being too much! After I brought you from the forest and took care of you for three days!!!"

His entire body is wrapped in bandages, and the smell of medicine lingers. It seems she really did treat him.

"I'm sorry, Master. Thank you."

Shino's cheeks are still puffed out, but her eyes look very happy. She must have been very worried, and thinking about that, Nozumu feels a warmth in his chest.

"Well, I stayed up for three days treating you. Why don't you tell me why you were lying there, covered in wounds?"

The atmosphere around Master changes. Overwhelmed by the aura of a master who has reached the pinnacle, Nozumu instinctively straightens his back.

"......I understand. I'll tell you everything."

In the tense atmosphere, he begins to recount his story.

Several hours later, after he finishes his story, only silence remains.

"......Follow me."

Master says only that, takes her sword, and heads outside. Nozumu also takes his sword and follows.

When they step outside, they face each other in silence, both in the stance of iaido. Nozumu's body is still covered in numerous wounds, and the bandages look painful.

"When!!"

The wounds from the battle with Tiamat hurt, and a voice escapes him. His battered body makes it difficult just to hold his sword.

The next moment, Master steps in instantly. Distracted by the pain from his wounds, his reaction is clearly delayed. He draws his sword in a hurry, but from his experience, he knows it won't be in time.

However, Shino's sword, contrary to Nozumu's expectations, is deflected with a high-pitched sound by his own sword.

"Huh?"

He can't help but let out a deflated voice. In the past, he wouldn't have been able to block this attack.

"Indeed."

"What do you mean, Master?"

Shino lets out a voice of understanding. Reacting to her voice, Nozumu asks, clearly confused.

The ability suppression greatly affects even sudden actions. With insufficient muscle power and limited mental capacity, he wouldn't be able to fully defend against a surprise attack with simple movements. That's why he has been diligently training in sword techniques that can adapt to such situations. However, this time, there was no time for such movements, and he had to respond with a simple iaido technique.

Normally, he wouldn't have been able to block it and would have been cut down, but for some reason, he was able to block it. The reason is,

"Your physical abilities have improved."

That is the reason he was able to block Shino's attack,

"But, but I..."

"Indeed, your physical abilities haven't improved due to the ability suppression. However, the Dragon Slayer inherits the power of dragons and becomes even stronger. That must be what happened to you."

"I, I'm the Dragon Slayer..."

Nozumu is plunged into even deeper confusion. Of course, the Dragon Slayer is a legendary figure. Even the most recent Dragon Slayer lived hundreds of years ago, and none exist now.

The ultimate successor. The embodiment of immense power. Some can use magic that cannot be explained by existing spells, and others awaken to special abilities. Such a fairy tale existence.

"Still, it doesn't seem like you've been greatly enhanced..."

"Huh!!!"

Nozumu is even more confused by Shino's statement, which seems to contradict the legend.

"Probably the effect of the ability suppression is significant. By the way, I remember you released the ability suppression during the battle with Tiamat. Can you still do it?"

Master's words bring back the memory of that battle. Indeed, at that time, he felt the chains that bound him and the sensation of tearing them apart. Then the feeling of liberation, as if the steel wedges had been released, and the sensation that he could go anywhere.

Nozumu imagines the chains that bind him, and the chains wrapped around his body appear.

"Ah!"

A voice escapes him involuntarily.

"It seems you can do it."

Nozumu nods at Shino's words.

"Then... what will you do?"

"What do you mean...?"

"That power is overwhelmingly strong. Great power attracts various things. Status, honor, power, jealousy, the list goes on. ...I'm asking you again, what do you want to do from now on?"

"......"

Nozumu can't answer. He has never thought about the future. He has only thought about the present.

No, even now, he can't see the future. He is still caught up in her and the past.

"I've been thinking for a while. You have no reason to become stronger."

"That's not true..."

Stammering and looking for an escape, Nozumu is met with a stern attitude and expression from Shino.

"Is it for your lover? That girl is no longer your lover. Even if you want to support her, there's already another man by her side. You have no reason to become stronger. ...You must have already known that."

Shino's words mercilessly pierce Nozumu's heart. He is forced to confront what he has unconsciously tried to avoid. Nozumu can't retort and can only bow his head. He knows it's true.

He knows there is no place for him by her side now, and that there is no place for him in that academy anymore.

"......It's too much to ask you to decide your future right away. For now, focus on healing your wounds."

"Eventually, you will be forced to make a choice." Shino drives the point home and returns to the hut.

"......With those injuries, you can't go back to the city. Stay here for the night."

Watching Shino enter the hut, Nozumu follows with unsteady steps. His expression remains cloudy.

"By the way, I haven't said this yet."

"???"

Shino turns to him again, but Nozumu has no idea what she is about to say.

"......Welcome back. You did well."

She smiles genuinely, a truly happy smile. Despite the visible fatigue, there is a sense of genuine relief. She has been worried about him and has been taking care of him non-stop. Her deep affection gently melts the frozen heart he has had since coming to this town.

Moved by the genuine affection he hasn't felt in a long time, his vision blurs.

"Th... thank... you..."

His voice cracks, and soon turns into sobs that echo through the empty forest. By his side, Shino gently rubs his back as he continues to cry.

While rubbing his back and comforting him, I continue to soothe him. He looks like a small child.

...It's not surprising. Being dumped by a lover and mocked and despised by people he thought were friends, I've been through it too.

I am not originally from this country. I come from an island nation at the eastern edge of this continent.

This country, though not large in territory, has developed its own culture, martial arts, and magic (or what they call magic here).

Surrounded by high mountains and the sea, large armies are difficult to maneuver in battles and monster hunts, and victory inevitably requires high individual or small-group skills and adaptability to situations.

Our clan was renowned for its martial prowess. When it comes to swordsmanship, my family is undoubtedly the best, and I was born as the second daughter of this family.

Because I was born into a family of swordsmanship, I was forced into sword training from a young age, but I took it for granted and never questioned it.

Perhaps I had talent, as I quickly stood out. My parents were proud of my rapid improvement, and my much older sister was delighted as if it were her own achievement.

So, I became even more immersed in swordsmanship. To the point where I couldn't help it.

Continuing to improve, I eventually became unbeatable by anyone in my family.

Being the best swordsman in a family renowned for swordsmanship means being the best in the country.

As a result, many disciples sought my tutelage, and powerful figures often asked me to hunt powerful monsters.

Living a life of only swordsmanship, I never dressed up like a woman, and I had no interest in makeup or love.

My parents, exasperated by this, forced me into arranged marriages, but only my sister stood by me.

At this time, my sister was so beautiful that even I was captivated, and many prestigious families from all over the country proposed marriage to her.

However, she had someone in her heart and stubbornly refused all the marriage proposals.

One day, while living such a life, I met him.

He came to me while my sister was accompanying him in training.

He had gentle eyes and a calm smile. He was smaller than the average adult male and exuded an intellectual aura.

He was the third son of a prestigious magic family, and he had sneaked into the carriage when his father, the head of the family, visited our home.

He said that my sister had conspired with him and secretly invited him into the mansion.

Stunned, I listened as he earnestly pleaded with me.

"Are you Lady Shino? Actually, I have a special request for you."

His request was to teach him swordsmanship.

Apparently, he had almost no magical power and was a failure in his magic family, with no place to belong.

So, to gain recognition from his family, he had been practicing martial arts and the associated energy techniques on his own, but it didn't go well.

It was during a banquet of the country's dignitaries that he met my sister and heard about me.

My sister couldn't refuse his earnest request.

I tested him, moved by his passion, but he was completely hopeless.

Due to his self-taught methods, he had developed bad habits, and the sharpness of the sword was completely lost. His movements were poor, and his arms, legs, and waist were not working in coordination.

At first, I refused, saying it was hopeless, but I couldn't turn down his persistence and my sister's sincere request, so I ended up teaching him swordsmanship.

"Wrong! You're holding the sword backward!!! If you're going to be my disciple, at least learn the basics before coming here!!!"

"What's with that wimpy stance? Even an old man's mochi pounding has more presence!!!"

"I won't allow you to cry or scream! You're a practice dummy for me! I'll teach you what a real slash feels like!!!"

...Looking back now, I might have been a bit too harsh. I was a bit sharp back then.

At first, he couldn't even do the basics, but gradually he became stronger.

My sister was very happy about this, and I was secretly pleased too.

It's natural to be happy when a disciple you've trained from the beginning becomes stronger.

Around this time, I started to think about him more often.

During meals, while sleeping, while bathing, and during training.

Eventually, I began to think about him regardless of time and place, and when I consulted my sister,

"Everyone goes through this. Don't worry, it will pass."

But it didn't pass; it only grew bigger and became uncontrollable.

One of the maids in our household noticed and asked me.

"Lady Shino, are you in love?"

That one question turned my world upside down.

"Love?"

"Yes, love. It seems you are in love, Lady Shino."

"But... I, in love?"

"Lady Shino, love comes to everyone. And no one can stop it. Even gods fall in love."

Listening to the maid, I became fully aware of my feelings of love.

Once I became aware, I couldn't help but be conscious of him to an extreme degree.

His posture, his earnest eyes during training, the trivial conversations during breaks, even the smell of sweat from his training clothes made my heart race.

I even avoided him at times because I disliked this side of myself.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

He confronts me.

"......I'm not avoiding you."

"That's a lie. You don't even look me in the eye like you used to."

"......It's a misunderstanding."

"No, it's not a misunderstanding."

"You're quite confident."

"Yes, I've been watching you for a long time, much longer than you've known me. Only you."

"......What?"

I ask, sensing a deeper meaning in his words.

"......I've always admired you. Your unparalleled swordsmanship and your noble heart that doesn't boast about it, and your clear eyes like a sword. I know it's inappropriate for someone like me to say this, but... I love you. More than anyone in this world."

It was undoubtedly a declaration of love.

My heart raced so much it felt like it would burst out of my chest, my face turned redder than the sunset, and I couldn't look at him, turning my back to him.

"......Are you a fool? Why would someone like me, who can't even take care of her own appearance, be liked?"

A normal man would prefer someone like my sister, who is more feminine than me.

"Maybe. But the one I love is you. No one else. ...If you would, will you walk with me?"

"......I thought you were just a fool, but you're even more of a fool...... This... fool."

"Yes, I'm a fool. So, will you give me an answer?"

"......I have received your feelings. I may be unworthy, but I will do my best. Please be with me."

At that moment, I vowed to walk with him.

Our relationship became known quickly, and before we knew it, the wedding date was set.

The marriage between a martial arts family and a magic family was announced with great fanfare, and my parents were delighted.

However, my sister began to spend more time in her room, claiming she wasn't feeling well.

Then, on the wedding day, the incident occurred.

In front of the gathered relatives, a man suddenly accused me.

"She has been intimate with another man despite being engaged to someone else. This wedding is tainted with impurity!!!"

This man was one of the suitors who had proposed to my sister and had even come to our house to confront us after being rejected.

The wedding venue was thrown into chaos by the sudden event, and everyone was confused