Chapter 261 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [32] (2/2)

「Allen, was there… Was there any strange pictures?」

She asked me with a downcast look.

「Aa, you don’t have to worry. All of the pictures were cute.」

「I-Is that’s so!? Thank goodness…」

She breathed a sigh of relief and safely concluded this little exchange.

After that, we feasted on the “sake side dishes” lined up on the table.

From the classic ones such as green soybeans, grilled chicken, and deep-fried chicken, to the delicacies such as monkfish liver, dried mullet roe, and salted sea cucumber. We ate a wide variety of side dishes with relish.

「I kinda feel like wanting to taste sake a litte.」

「R-Ria, let’s do it when we’re adults, okay?」

「Y-Yeah! O-Of course…」

Although her mouth was saying that, Ria had the expression which seemed to really want to do it.

(Maybe Ria will become a drunkard in the future.)

I took a sip of the warm tea that Rose brewed while feeling uneasy about that.

And, Bacchus-san told various stories while everyone was eating the snacks.

A fierce battle with a giant wolf that manipulates ice which ended in a draw about 150 years ago.

A funny story about an old friend whom he once traveled with.

A hidden hot spring, Sakura Drop, which he often uses for hot-spring cure.

He told all the stories with a hearty tone and a lot of gestures, so they were all really interesting and educational.

Once we finished the side dishes and the stories came to a pause,

「By the way, kid. You said your name is Allen Rodore, right?」

「Y-Yes.」

Bacchus-san called out to me with a quiet expression

「When we crossed swords a while ago, you used a lot of weird techniques. Who’s your master? Which school do you belong to?」

「……」

I honestly don’t want to talk much about that.

To announce that I am self-taught feels like admitting to myself that I’m a “dropout swordsman.”

However, if I tried to hide it, it would seem as though I am bothered by that fact. And that would make me look uncool.

So I decided to state the truth as it is.

「Well, um… The truth is… I requested the teachers of various schools to accept me, but… I was so untalented at swordsmanship that I wasn’t accepted into any of them. So I am a “self-taught swordsman”.」

「Hou… untalented, huh…」

He murmured that one line and stared at me.

(The hermit of time called out to an untalented swordsman, and on top of that, let the kid spam the scarce 100 Million Years Buttons? …Impossible. It doesn’t match his purpose. And the kid also has the “Darkness” which he showed previously. It seems that there is something “else“ to this kid.)

Bacchus-san became silent for a while, and then–

「I see. I somewhat understand your situation.」

He nodded several times in a way that doesn’t seem to be the case.

「Even though it’s self-taught, you have already mastered swordsmanship enough to match my own. Even if you dabble in any other school at this point, it will be of no use.」

Bacchus-san said so frankly, and then–

「Would you be willing to learn my secret sword “Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style”, which was hailed as the strongest sword in the world?」

He brought up an unexpected proposal.