Chapter 35

Silently resuming the serial...

When I woke up, the familiar ceiling was above me.

The house is quite old, so there are noticeable signs of wear and tear everywhere, but what stands out the most is a large hole. It was created when I kicked my sister out of my bed one morning after she had sneaked in.

This is the ceiling of my room in my parents' house. Gazing at the nostalgic scenery of the room where I spent over a decade, I couldn't help but squint my eyes.

"Hmm. It's really peaceful at home."

The bed fits my body well, and I feel like I had a good night's sleep last night.

Then, I noticed a soft sensation around my waist. When I pulled back the blanket, I found a young girl sleeping in a position as if she were hugging me.

"Big brother... why did you leave Mira... mumble mumble..."

The one muttering such adorable sleep talk was my sister, Mira.

She was born after I received the blessing ceremony and is almost five years old. She has always been attached to me since she was little, but it seems that being away from home for a while has made her even more clingy since I returned.

Well, I can't really blame her for sneaking into my bed. If it were my sister, I would have kicked her out without a second thought, but I can't do that to Mira. After all, she's my sister.

"There, there."

"..."

When I stroked her head, Mira's cheeks relaxed in happiness.

By the way, my sister is currently away from home.

After I started my sword training in earnest, she left the house alone with a determined look, saying things like, "Wait for me, Aler! I'll definitely create a world where Aler can live without any worries!"

I wonder where she is and what she's doing?

Well, it's fine. Thanks to her, it's quiet and peaceful here.

I returned to this small town where my parents' house is located the day before yesterday.

I had only been in the Sword City for about half a year, but since I had hardly ever left the town before, it felt like I had been away from my hometown for a long time. Therefore, I found the town very nostalgic.

So, as soon as I got home, I went for a walk around the town, but for some reason, many people knew about my journey to the Sword City and greeted me every time I met them.

"Aler, you did a great job... It's important to challenge yourself, so don't worry too much about it."

"That experience will surely be useful in the future. So, live a strong life."

"You have a family that loves you. Don't forget that."

I was always comforted with such words, and it seemed they thought I had come back after a setback.

I tried to correct them, saying that I hadn't failed and had even won the Sword God Cup, a tournament to determine the strongest swordsman in the city, but...

When I did, they became even more worried and looked at me with pitying eyes. So, I gave up and decided it didn't really matter if they misunderstood.

Then, yesterday...

I fought my mother for the title of the world's strongest swordsman.

I won by a hair.

Well, I had undergone practical training in the Sword City and was in top form. On the other hand, my mother, while occasionally helping the vigilante group to slay monsters, had been away from actual combat for a long time and was almost a full-time housewife.

The difference was not small, but still, a win is a win.

"Amazing, Aler! To become so strong in just half a year!"

Despite losing, my mother was genuinely happy for me.

I had never beaten her before. This half a year of living away from home and training in the Sword City was not a mistake.

Still, even though she has the same skill, my mother was incomparably stronger than the Living Armor, the "Sword God" I fought in the dungeon of the Sword City.

The Living Armor follows pre-programmed commands and uses skills, so it lacks the adaptability of a human.

In contrast, my mother excels in tactical planning, quick judgment in unexpected attacks, and skillful skill selection based on the situation. She never relies solely on her skills.

Well, it's only natural that there would be a difference.

However, my mother, who is not particularly smart and is quite clumsy in her daily life, becomes a completely different person when she holds a sword, which is quite surprising.

In any case, I can now say that I am the world's strongest swordsman in both name and reality.

...Hmm.

What should I do from today?

Somehow, I feel like the tension and drive are gone. Of course, I intend to continue my sword training, but now that I've reached the top, it's difficult to approach it with the same enthusiasm and determination as before.

I used to spend almost all my time training, but I can't do that anymore. So, I'll probably have a lot of free time.

I might take a little break and relax, but that doesn't sit well with my nature.

"Alright, then I'll master this next."

On that day, I asked my father.

"Teach me magic. I want to master it this time."

My father and my mother, who was listening from the side, opened their mouths in surprise.

"..." "Huh?"