What Changes, What Remains (6)

Amid the morning mist, I steadied my breathing and swung my sword.

Rather than cutting through the mist, I tried to cut the tiny, tiny droplets of water that made it up.

It was obvious, of course, but surprisingly difficult.

At least for me, it was still a realm beyond my reach.

But Kaefa surely could.

Unlike me, she lacked High Elf senses, but she still would have been able to discern and cut the droplets of water that made up the mist.

Then I, too, would have to reach that realm someday.

It had been more than a decade since Kaefa's death.

I felt as though I had closed the distance by a step or two.

But even after more than a decade, it was only a step or two.

How far ahead Kaefa still was.

Perhaps because I had recently visited Nonna's grave, I was feeling a little sentimental.

I found myself wanting, just a little, to run all the way to Kaefa's grave in the Kingdom of Rudria.

Even though I thought there was no need to hurry.

I focused on my sword to clear my mind of distracting thoughts.

One stroke at a time, I swung carefully, trying to draw closer to that still-distant ideal.

The distance to my goal was both painful and joyful.

Quite apart from that, swinging a sword like this was simply fun.

Suddenly, I sensed someone approaching and stopped in the finishing posture of my swing.

This was the inn's rooftop, and strangers did not come up here.

The previous inn had not had such a spacious rooftop, but after the major renovations, a large rooftop had been added to hang all the extra laundry.

Well, since there wasn't a single piece of laundry hanging this early in the morning, I could use the space for training like this.

Without moving, I glanced over and saw Aina peeking at me.

...She was up awfully early today.

Had she had a bad dream?

I considered asking what was wrong, but if I called out to her here, she might think she had gotten in my way.

Then it would be better to continue training a little longer and speak to her afterward.

With that in mind, I resumed my sword training.

I steadied my breathing and swung carefully.

Then, without taking a stance, I turned to face behind me with minimal movement and swiftly swung my sword.

To the right, to the left—in every direction.

The sharpness of a carefully executed slash was a given; I swung to go beyond even that.

I swung toward Kaefa's sword—the quiet, fearsome sword I was certain could cut through everything.

The sword I swung in every direction could not be allowed to fall far short of the sharpness of a carefully executed strike.

That was Kaefa's sword: sharp whether swung right, left, or behind, even without a stance or time to prepare.

Was it sweat, or the moisture from the mist?

Droplets ran down my body.

What would a spectator think of my sword?

Did my sword possess the power to make someone feel something?

If Aina had woken from a bad dream, I swung my sword in a wide arc, wishing it would cut that bad dream away.

Once I had finished my training, Aina approached without my needing to call out to her.

"Eisa-san! Whoosh! Amazing!"

She told me this, her eyes shining.

Apparently, she had taken a liking to my sword training.

Although her vocabulary was limited, she praised me with astonishing sincerity. It was a little embarrassing, but I certainly did not dislike it.

But what she said next left me a little troubled.

"Can Aina do that too?"

Aina surely just wanted to imitate me out of simple admiration.

And as for whether she could do it, she actually could.

After all, great female swordswomen had wielded the Yosogi Style.

Since Kaefa and Yuzuriha Yosogi had wielded it, being female might be a handicap, but it was not an insurmountable wall.

I had also once taught Yosogi-style swordsmanship to a girl named Tseren.

Saying she could not would be a lie.

Yet I hesitated to say that she could.

Because Aina's life was here at the inn.

Would she really need a sword for the life she would lead?

Most likely, the answer was no.

Rather, taking up a sword and gaining even a little fighting ability or confidence might actually shorten her life.

For example, if Zieden attacked and occupied this town, I could not say there was absolutely no chance she might be killed for taking up a weapon and resisting.

Of course, I didn't know whether she would be spared if she did not resist.

But unless she intended to seriously study it and devote her life to that path, Aina should not take up a sword.

I had pursued Kaefa's sword out of admiration myself, so I did not want to deny Aina's own admiration.

"I'm not sure. But swinging things around is dangerous, so your mother might scold you."

So I brushed the matter aside with that answer.

I had no right to decide what path Aina should take in life.

If her mother, Shene, said she did not mind, I could at least teach her the basic training methods.

But anything beyond that would be impossible, since I probably would not remain in this town much longer myself.

Aina pursed her lips in disappointment, but nodded as if she accepted that much, at least.

I tousled her hair and left the rooftop with her.