[Alfine : The Path of the Sword]

※Alfine’s POV

I was advancing through the inside of the deep forest while escorting the wagon driven by Meila.

The monsters that lived in the Demon Forest were so large that they were incomparable to the monsters around the Royal Capital, and their number was large.

According to Rebecca, this is even after the knight order and the adventurers were searching through the area and reducing their numbers.

Though I heard the number of monsters has been reduced, they are still wandering aimlessly all over the place.

There are three of them in the surroundings.

“Al, can I leave the close ones to you?”

Noticing the presences of monsters like me, Meila stopped the wagon and picked up the bow that was placed beside the coachman’s seat.

“You can leave them to me.”

Seems like Meila will take care of the distant one; I will go to kill the nearby monsters immediately.

Meila is also an adventurer, but she specializes in ruins investigation, so she isn’t that good at close quarters combat, but—

The bow in her hand was drawn to the limit, and then pierced the eyebrows of a monster in the distance.

“What a wonderful skill.”

“I’m glad you praise me, but I’ll be even more happy if you let me rub your boobs—”

“Impossible.”

Since Meila has restrained the farthest one, now is my chance.

I’m still awkward moving with dual swords, but the style that I trained in as the Sword Master Alfine might expose me, so I have to throw it away.

After I pulled out the stilettos from the sheathes, I rushed toward the presences of the two nearby monsters.

I push my way into the depths of the forest. The ones who were emitting signs of attacking us were Forest Wolves.

They are the biggest Forest Wolves I have ever seen.

As expected of the Demon Forest.

However, even though their body are big, I know the scope of their power.

After having confirmed the monsters, I ran to the opponent’s bosom in an instant before it jumped in.

Having the distance closed, the Forest Wolf lost the opportunity to jump; it hesitated to attack and tried to jump back.

“Naive. Do you think I’ll let you go?”

The moment the Forest Wolf tried to jump away, I step on the ground to run after it and send out a thrust with the stiletto I had in my hand at the speed of cutting through the wind.

Faster, smoother, more accurate!

I will return to that time before I was called the Sword Master, when I was just a swordsman thinking about how to improve her swordsmanship!

After throwing the title of Sword Master and the status of a noble which seemed like had clouded my sense of swordsmanship, and became another person, Al, I felt like I was reformed.

The tip of the stiletto entered from the mouth of the Forest Wolf and pierced to the back of its head.

“Next!”

Because its companion was killed in a single hit, the other one exposed its hostility and jumped in, showing its fangs.

Slow! With such movement, you won’t catch my eye.

If you want to eat my meat, you have to lunge faster! It’s as if you’re asking me to kill you!

I pulled the sword in my other hand, faced it toward the Forest Wolf that was aiming to bite a hole in my throat, and released the fastest thrust I could make toward the mouth of the Forest Wolf.

The Forest Wolf had its life finished before it could pierce its fang into my throat.

In response to the killing intent aimed at me, I instinctively pull out the sword.

The me before being called the Sword Master wielded sword like that, killing countless monsters, and even killed a Demonic Dragon.

Faster, faster, faster.

Reaction, body movement, sword swing.

The speed that no one can catch up with. That should lead me to be the best swordsman.

That is the swordsmanship I am aiming for!

It is not the kind of swordsmanship for the foolish me to teach to those self-important people.

Being called the Sword Master, I lost my head, and the theory of swordsmanship I talked about was all show and no substance.

Finn was probably disgusted with my approach to swordsmanship as well, so he broke off our relationship and erase his whereabouts. I’m sure the reason why he returned the sword I gifted to him also held that meaning.

The true form of the sense of incongruity that I had felt from my swordsmanship since becoming a Sword Master. By coming to Youg Hannotes and became a beginner adventurer, I felt that I have realized it.

The last Forest Wolf with an arrow between its eyebrows rushed toward me, who slaughtered two of its comrades in an instant, with an angry look on its face.

“Sorry, but you are not worthy as my opponent!”

After I pulled out my sword from the dead Forest Wolf, I crossed it in front of my chest.

Faster, faster, faster than wind, faster than sound, just swing the sword!

With that in mind, I cut the air before the approaching Forest Wolf with the crossed stilettos.

The tip of the sword slashes the air; the slashed air generates a shockwave and flies toward the incoming Forest Wolf.

The shockwave touched the Forest Wolf, slashed its body and disappeared.

“As expected of Al. Though I’ve always said I can’t get used to it, you’re really a lot stronger than the platinum rank adventurers out there.”

“Thank you for the complement, but my sword is still so-so. I must be able to handle it much, much better. So that Finn will not be disappointed when we meet, I’ll show him that I’ve reached the place where my sword is second to none.”

“Yeah. If Finn-kun sees the mature Al, he might reconsider it. Perhaps seeing you’ve turned into a good woman, he will get back together with you, you know.”

“I-I don’t have such intention. It’s a fact that Finn will never forgive my poor treatment. But I just want him to be relieved. I’m satisfied with just being able to make him think that I can live alone well.”

Having said that, I shook off the blood adhered to the stilettos and put them back in the sheathes.

I broke the qualification to say I love him with my own hands.

I’ve already come to terms with it; I don’t in the slightest bit think it’s a shame that we won’t get back together.

I just wanted to show that I can stand and walk alone even though Finn isn’t beside me and say farewell to him.

I want to tell him that the simple-minded and spoiled child’s time ended with his departure.

Right now, I’m spending time so that I can stand alone, so that I can mature.

Actually, I’m very lonely and forlorn, but it’s something I absolutely have to accomplish.

Uhh, Alfine’s thought was quite savage when fighting against those monsters. I like this side of hers. Hope that’s how she will deal with Gile.

And here’s the sketch of Noelia. Cute, isn’t she?