Chapter 7

The carriage rumbled along the cobblestone road.

I asked the driver,

"How much longer until we reach the 'City of Swords'?"

"Three more stops, so if everything goes smoothly, we should arrive by midday the day after tomorrow."

The driver replied in a leisurely tone.

Two more days.

Considering it took over a week to get here, it won't be long now.

It's been five years since then.

I am now fifteen years old.

On my fifteenth birthday, I told my father and mother that I was going to leave my hometown.

They didn't object.

They told me to do as I pleased.

And now, I am heading to the city also known as the 'City of Swords,' Bresgia.

It's a place I've always wanted to visit.

Bresgia is where people skilled with swords from all over the world gather.

They hone their skills and strive for even greater heights.

It seems my mother once lived here, and I often heard stories about her time here when I was a child.

"So, you're heading to the 'City of Swords' too, kid?"

The one who asked was a man in his early twenties, who seemed to be a fellow passenger.

"You too?"

"Yeah. It's a dream for any swordsman. But the level is so high that many give up. I knew a swordsman from my hometown who fled back after just half a year."

The man scanned me up and down, a smirk on his face.

"Hehe, how long do you think you'll last, kid?"

A woman about the same age as the man interjected.

"What a coincidence. I'm also heading to the 'City of Swords.'"

The man snorted.

"Hmph, a woman wielding a sword, huh?"

"Oh, you're quite old-fashioned, aren't you? You must be from a very rural area."

"What did you say!?"

"The important thing is the profession. Gender doesn't matter."

"Hah, if you say so, you must have a prestigious profession, right? You're not just a basic class like a 'Swordsman,' are you?"

"Of course, I'm an advanced class. I'm a 'Dual Swordsman.' As you know, they excel in attack and are very popular among advanced classes."

Compared to basic classes, advanced classes have a wider variety.

Which advanced class one can become depends on their personality, experience, or the skills they have acquired.

Naturally, some are popular while others are not.

"Tch."

The man spat in disgust.

The woman laughed triumphantly,

"And what about you?"

"...I'm a 'Gladiator.'"

"What, you're just an advanced class too?"

"I don't like being on the same level as a woman."

"You're such a hassle... The only classes above advanced are the 'Sword Emperor' or 'Sword Princess,' which are called the 'Ultimate Classes.'"

Then, both of their gazes turned to me.

"Kid, what about you?"

"And you, what are you?"

Asked in unison, I replied,

"I'm unemployed."

Their eyes widened in surprise.

After a moment, the man burst into laughter.

"Hehe, hahaha! Kid, you're really unemployed!?"

"Hey, that's not nice! He didn't choose to be unemployed... hahaha."

The woman also couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously, what business does an unemployed person have in the 'City of Swords'? Oh, I get it, you're just a tourist! You should have said so from the start, it's confusing."

"I'm not a tourist. I'm here to reach the pinnacle in the way of the sword."

I firmly denied it.

"Haha!? An unemployed person reaching the pinnacle in the way of the sword? Hahaha! This is a masterpiece!"

"Come on, that must be a joke, right? You're not teasing your elders, are you?"

"It's not a joke."

As I stated firmly, laughter erupted from the other passengers.

Even the driver was shaking with laughter,

"Well, I've been a driver for a long time. I've seen many ambitious swordsmen head to the 'City of Swords.' But this is the first time I've seen an unemployed person."

Hmm.

I knew I would get this reaction if I honestly said I was unemployed.

But the fact is, I am unemployed.

There's no point in lying or trying to hide it.

No matter how much others mock me, my resolve won't change.

Just then, one of the passengers shouted, "Hey, look at that..."

Several figures emerged from the forest ahead.

"Bandits!?"

"No, those are orcs!"

Orcs are humanoid monsters.

They have pig-like heads and are slightly taller than humans, but their bodies are very thick.

"Moreover, there are quite a few of them!?"

The passengers screamed.

There were more than ten orcs, just from a quick count.

Rental carriages always have guards on board to protect against bandits and monsters.

But perhaps because the fare was cheap, this carriage had no guards.

Or maybe they were trying to save on guard fees, assuming the passengers heading to the 'City of Swords' could handle themselves.

"Tch, we have no choice."

"Given their numbers, we can't just sit back and watch."

The man and woman started to get off the carriage.

Suddenly, their faces turned pale.

A moment later, a particularly large orc emerged from the forest.

"Could it be... a King Orc...!?"