Chapter 4.2 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [2] – part 2 (1/2)

4. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [2] – part 2

I sighed deeply after they were nowhere to be seen.

「Haa…」

It was a pain.

I don’t wanna get entangled with such a bunch.

(…Let’s move from here)

The world is huge.

There are some kind-hearted people like Paula-san. and there are weird ones such as Bubble.

I don’t have to waste time on such a weird bunch.

「Err, the reception… is over there.」

There was a long line right in front of the venue for the Sword Festival.

At the top of that was a sign board that reads,「Sword Festival Reception」.

The reception is definitely that way.

I stood at the back of the line and waited for my turn to come.

10 minutes later.

「Next person please」

「Yes」

It was finally my turn.

At the reception desk, a beautiful blonde-haired woman was carrying out the registration.

「Good morning. Are you sure you want to participate in the Sword Festival today?」

「Yes, please.」

「Certainly. The participation fee is 1000 gold.」

While thanking Paula-san in my heart, I took out the 1000 gold bill from my frog wallet and handed it to the receptionist.

「Thank you very much. Can you tell me your name and the school you belong to?」

「I am Allen Rodore. My school is, well…」

I never thought that I would be asked about my school.

「Allen Rodore-sama, which school are you from?」

I have been asked twice.

Apparently, I must give a school name.

「Th-That is… I don’t belong to any school… I am… self-taught」

Anti-climatically, I answered「self-taught」.

「Puh… self-taught, yes…? C-Certainly…!」

The receptionist desperately tried to suppress her laughter and proceeded with the registration work with trembling hands.

Almost all swordsmen belong to some sort of school.

Swordsmen who do not belong to any school are limited to those who are very eccentric or have no ability to enter a school.

It’s natural to be laughed at because this dropout is going to participate in this Sword Festival which aims to gather talented contestants.

After finishing the registration, I exited the line and sighed.

(Haa… that was a little embarrassing…)

No, it has already passed.

Don’t think any more about it and focus on the Sword Festival.

If I’m right, there should be about thirty minutes left before the festival starts.

「Ok, let’s do some practice-swings till then.」

After that, I found a suitable vacant spot and kept swinging my sword quietly.

■

Five minutes before the Sword Festival started.

I returned to the venue to attend the opening ceremony.

The venue for the Sword Festival is a large stone stage on a level ground.

And spectator seats surrounded that stone stage. It was such a simple arrangement.

At present, the person in charge of the Sword Festival explained the rules of the Sword Festival on the stage, and many participating swordsmen are listening quietly around the edge of the stage.

The battle format is a one-on-one duel.

If you fall from the stone stage, you lose.

The matching is determined by drawing lots just before the match starts.

The rules were that simple.

After finishing all the explanations, the Sword Festival began at last.

「Now we will decide the pair for the first match!」

The commentator woman for the Sword Festival drew two pieces of paper from the box filled with the names of the participants.

「The first match – Bubble Domingo vs. Allen Rodore! Please come to the stage promptly!」

「…The first match itself?」

Ideally, it would’ve been good to watch several other swordsmen fight before I was called.