Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 27 - Some Daily Life 2

In the yard, Paul and I faced each other with wooden swords.

"Rudy, let me see if your swordsmanship has improved these past few years."

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Father."

I glanced to the side. Eris, Sylphie, Aisha, and Norn were all watching.

"Brother, do your best!"

Aisha cheered. Norn looked over at her for a moment, then, as if she'd made up her mind about something, added her own voice.

"Dad... do your best..."

Eris and Sylphie watched in silence.

Right. To protect my perfect big brother image, I absolutely cannot lose. Even if I have to play dirty and use magic.

I'd already worked out the formula for victory in my head. Then Paul opened his mouth.

"Ah, right. Rudy, no magic."

"Huh?"

"Opening!"

The instant I froze, he was already coming at me.

I barely got my wooden sword up before Paul knocked it clean out of my hands. One kick and I was flat on the ground. A wooden sword settled against my throat.

"Dad... so cool!"

"Brother, um..."

Norn and Aisha spoke at the same time.

"Rudy~ you really haven't improved at all~"

Paul said it with that insufferable smug grin.

Damn it. He just wanted to show off in front of his daughters.

"Can't be helped. Ghislaine told me herself that I have no talent for swordsmanship."

I said it stubbornly and climbed back to my feet.

Paul, to his credit, nodded like he actually understood.

"Hmm... if Ghislaine says you have no talent... then you really have no talent."

"Father. Aren't you going to encourage your own son?"

"You're smart enough to already know the truth in your heart. And Ghislaine is a pure instinct-type. If she says your swordsmanship has no talent..."

Well. He wasn't wrong.

Paul had reached Advanced rank in every swordsmanship style. By any measure, that made him exceptional in the field. Push him a little harder and he could be even stronger.

Not that he had much motivation to push himself these days.

While I was still thinking that over, Eris stepped forward and stammered.

"U... Uncle Paul! C-can I... spar with you?"

"Of course. Just, please don't tell me this is because I knocked Rudy down and you want payback."

"No... nothing like that... I just wanted to spar... Ghislaine said... Rudeus's father... is pretty strong."

"Oh? Ghislaine actually said that about me? That's a little flattering. Alright then, let's go."

"Yes!"

I stepped back and joined the audience.

Eris challenging Paul had nothing to do with me. It was pure and simple — the hunger of a swordsman who wanted to face someone strong. Up until now, her only real sparring partner had been Ghislaine.

Ghislaine is strong. Probably stronger than Paul, even.

But Paul is someone who has reached Advanced rank in every style. Dealing with him wouldn't be any easier.

"Rudy... does it hurt?"

Sylphie came up beside me.

"Hm? A little."

"Mm..."

She nodded, then reached toward the spot where I'd been kicked. She activated magic at the same time.

Voiceless healing magic. Advanced rank, by the feel of it.

"Does it still hurt?"

"It doesn't. Thank you, Sylphie."

"Mm..."

Sylphie's ears twitched. She looked pleased.

Same principle as Ghislaine's tail, I wondered?

We watched the two of them spar.

As expected of an Advanced-rank swordsman, Eris's reactions were clearly much faster than mine. Paul, for his part, was being noticeably gentler with her than he'd been with me. When he fought me, he'd used a kick. Against Eris, he stayed on the defensive the whole time.

Though honestly, even if Paul got fully serious, I wasn't sure he'd have an easy time with her.

"Eris is so amazing."

Aisha drifted over to stand beside me, eyes on the sparring match.

I wasn't sure how to take that. Damn it. If I could use magic, I'd have had a real shot.

But that wasn't something a loser got to say. Any way you heard it, it was just an excuse.

"Aisha, Rudy is a mage. In pure swordsmanship, he was never going to match Uncle Paul."

Sylphie spoke up before I could.

"I know that!"

"Mm."

Still... was getting flattened that quickly really that bad? Had my perfect big brother image just crumbled in front of Aisha and Norn right then and there?

No. I needed to reclaim what was mine.

When Eris and Paul finished their round, I spoke up.

"Father. One more round with me."

"No thanks! I've got patrol duty~"

"Dad! I want to come."

"Sure~"

And just like that, Paul scooped Norn up and made his escape.

Damn that man.

...

In the afternoon, we continued yesterday's session under the big tree.

"Session" was generous. What it really meant was Sylphie asking questions, running experiments once she had her answers, and then drifting off with Eris to have whatever conversation girls have. Aisha sat on my lap and practiced magic, over and over.

"Brother, can someone practice magic and swordsmanship at the same time?"

"Of course. I used to think about doing exactly that. I just don't have the talent for swordsmanship."

"I think Brother is amazing!"

"Even after Father flattened me in an instant?"

"That's because Dad ambushed you! If you hadn't been caught off guard, you definitely would've held on longer before losing!"

"I'd still have lost."

"But Brother is a mage. At that range, lasting even a little while is impressive, isn't it?"

I ruffled her hair.

Every time I do that, Aisha lets out this dopey little laugh.

"You know quite a lot."

"Hehe."

Is this really a child who's almost four years old?

Her intelligence sometimes makes me wonder if she's a reincarnator too. She picks up magic the moment you show her anything, and she's already figured out how to shorten her own incantations.

"If it's Aisha... maybe it really is possible..."

"Maybe what is?"

She sat up on my lap and looked at me.

"Magic and swordsmanship combined. You'd be incredibly powerful. The proper term for it would be Magic Swordsman."

"Magic Swordsman... that's so cool!"

"Right? I wanted to be one too, once~"

"So can I start practicing swordsmanship now?"

I looked down at her.

A four-year-old's body is still too small. Starting now would be pointless. Ghislaine once said that for someone with real talent, it doesn't matter when they start.

I started at five and I've barely scraped Intermediate rank. Eris practiced for less than 4 years and hit Advanced.

That's the gap talent creates. Hard work doesn't close it.

I patted Aisha's head.

"Too early. Start now and you might not grow tall. Get your magic sorted out first."

"Okay!"

She nodded without any fuss.

She really is an easy sister to love.

➤ Next: Transfer — Everything Changes