Hometown

Several days after leaving Belgrant.

The carriage had just crossed a gentle slope when the driver pointed ahead.

"This is Valdis territory."

A stone marker stood beside the road, marking the boundary of the territory.

I looked out the window.

The road stretched ahead, with fields on either side.

There was nothing particularly special about it.

Even so, I recognized it.

The low hills in the distance and the trees lining the road were scenery I'd seen for as long as I could remember.

"We've entered."

Felicia, seated beside me, said.

"Yes."

"How does it feel?"

"It's more ordinary than I expected."

"Ordinary?"

"I thought I'd remember more."

Being driven out of my home.

Losing to Kyle after he received the Sword Saint.

What Father had said to me.

I'd thought that once I entered the territory, I'd be reminded of it all whether I wanted to or not.

But now that I was actually back, all I saw before me was the same scenery as before.

"Those fields have been there for as long as I can remember, and I remember that hill over there, too."

I pointed outside the window.

"Did you come around here when you were a child?"

"A few times. We passed through when traveling around the territory."

The carriage continued down the road.

People worked in the fields, carts passed each other, and children ran in the distance.

Even after I was gone, life had gone on as usual here.

It was only natural, but still felt a little strange.

"Allen-san, you've been looking outside the whole time."

"It's been a while."

"Are you curious after all?"

"A little."

Felicia looked out the window, too.

"This is my first time here."

"That's right."

"If there's anywhere you recognize, tell me."

"I only know the places I've passed through."

"That's enough."

While we were talking, the carriage entered a town in the territory.

◇

"We're stopping here!"

At the driver's call, the passengers got out of the carriage.

We got out, too.

I recognized this place, too.

It wasn't a large town, but since it was along the highway, it had plenty of inns and restaurants.

"Shall we find somewhere to eat?"

"Yes."

We went into a restaurant near the carriage.

There were several travelers and merchants inside.

We took an empty table and ordered a meat and vegetable stew with bread.

"This is delicious."

"I think they served food like this back then, too."

"Have you been here before?"

"A few times when I was a child. But I don't remember how it tasted."

As we continued eating, we heard voices from a nearby table.

"Has Lord Kyle still not returned?"

My hand paused.

"He's still in the Kingdom of Alsrein, right? I heard he's over there with the marquis."

"He was escorting the First Princess, wasn't he?"

"Yeah. He's the Sword Saint. You couldn't ask for a better guard."

They were talking about Kyle.

It seemed Father was still in the Kingdom of Alsrein, too.

"When Lord Kyle comes back, they'll welcome him in grand style again, right?"

"Of course. A Sword Saint came from House Valdis. Any subject of the territory would be proud."

In the past, I might have thought all kinds of things just from hearing those words.

But things were different now.

Kyle was fulfilling his own role as the Sword Saint.

That was all.

Felicia, sitting across from me, looked at me.

"I'm all right."

I answered in a quiet voice.

Just then, another man joined the conversation.

"Speaking of the Sword Saint, there was an incredible story during the war with the Doran Empire, too."

"Yeah. About how the enemy had a Sword Saint, too?"

"Apparently, a young adventurer defeated one of them."

"What was his name?"

"I think... Allen Valdis."

Felicia and I exchanged glances.

"Valdis?"

"Isn't that the same name as Lord Kyle?"

"Is he related to the marquis's family?"

"I don't know that much. But apparently he's still quite young."

It seemed the rumors about me had reached my hometown ahead of me.

Of course, nobody suspected the person in question was sitting nearby.

"You're famous."

Felicia said in a whisper.

"Please don't."

"But it's true."

"It feels strange hearing it when you're the person they're talking about."

Felicia chuckled a little.

The conversation around us shifted to the war.

We finished our meal, too.

As we left the restaurant, I thought back on what I'd just heard.

Kyle was following his own path as the Sword Saint.

I had my own things to do, too.

Go to the capital and aim for A-Rank.

For now, that was enough.

◇

After the break, we got back into the carriage.

Just as we were about to leave town, the carriage stopped.

"What's going on?"

"They're checking the carriages leaving town."

The driver answered.

Several territory soldiers were checking the luggage and passengers one by one.

Eventually, an older soldier came over to us.

"Are you adventurers?"

"Yes."

"May I see your Adventurer Cards?"

"Of course."

We both took out our Adventurer Cards.

The soldier checked Felicia's first, then looked at mine.

His hand stopped.

"...Allen Valdis?"

"Yes."

The soldier looked up.

He looked at me.

Then he lowered his eyes to the Adventurer Card again.

"Could it be...?"

I looked at his face, too.

He looked familiar.

I'd seen him several times at the estate.

The soldier's expression changed.

"Lord Allen?"

"Huh?"

"It really is you, Lord Allen, isn't it?"

The soldiers around us looked our way.

"Do you know him?"

Felicia asked.

"I've seen him at the estate."

The older soldier took a step closer.

"I used to serve as a gate guard at the marquis's estate."

"I thought so."

"I never imagined it really was you, Lord Allen..."

The soldier's gaze shifted to my equipment.

The Flamefang Sword hung at my waist.

I wore light armor made from Black Steel Lizard leather.

And the Adventurer Card in my hand showed that I was B-Rank.

"B-Rank..."

"I'm an adventurer now."

"Then, could it be...?"

The soldier caught his breath.

"The Allen Valdis who defeated the Sword Saint in the war against the Doran Empire..."

"That's me."

The soldier fell silent.

Back when I lived at home, I'd lost to Kyle after he received the Sword Saint, and then I was driven out of the house.

It was no wonder he was surprised to hear that I'd become a B-Rank adventurer and defeated the enemy's Sword Saint.

"Have you returned?"

"No."

I shook my head.

"I'm on my way to the capital. I'm only passing through this territory."

"I... see."

"Father and Kyle are still in the Kingdom of Alsrein, right?"

"Yes. The marquis and Lord Kyle are still over there."

So what I'd heard at the restaurant was true.

"So we'll continue straight to the capital."

"However, if Lord Allen has entered the territory..."

"I have no intention of returning to the estate."

The soldier was at a loss for words.

"But I can't avoid reporting this to the marquis's family."

"That I was here?"

"Yes."

I wasn't trying to hide it.

Nor was I going to ask him to keep quiet.

"I understand. But we'll continue on to the capital."

"You won't stop by the estate?"

"I have no intention of doing so."

The soldier looked as though he wanted to say something, but eventually returned my Adventurer Card.

"Understood. I'm sorry to have held you up."

"It's all right."

The carriage started moving again.

Looking back through the window, I saw the soldier from earlier telling a young soldier something.

The young soldier immediately leaped onto a horse.

"Where do you think he's going?"

Felicia was looking back, too.

"Probably to the estate."

The young soldier rode off.

He was heading in the direction of the Valdis estate.

"I was only planning to pass through."

"It doesn't look like it'll be that simple."

"Apparently not."

The carriage carrying us continued down the road to the capital.

It wouldn't be long before the estate learned that I had returned to the Valdis Marquisate.

Total P Acquired: 85,475P