Chapter 47

"...Ow!!"

Rex’s ungraceful scream echoed through the infirmary attached to the training grounds.

"Well, of course it hurts—you just grew an arm back."

“Ugh... grrrghh…”

"Growing a new arm takes a serious toll on your body’s energy. You need to stay on strict bed rest for a while."

"Kuhhh..."

The Sword Saint grit his teeth in silence, writhing in pain as he clutched his newly regenerated arm.

Three days had passed since that decisive battle. Our party—Rex’s party—had returned to the castle, where we received treatment directly from General Mino herself.

"...So, how exactly does one grow an arm back?"

"Technically, it’s duplication. I applied a healing spell to the remaining 'left hand,' then reversed the effect of the spell and projected it onto the 'right side.' Basically, I flipped the left hand and grew it on the right."

"That’s some high-level stuff. ...What’s the spell formula?"

"Not telling. If you want to learn the specifics, you’ll have to enlist in my army."

"I’ll pass. I’m not teaming up with anyone besides Rex."

"Oh, that’s a shame. Also, just to be clear, the new arm is still a left hand, so Rex-kun, you're going to feel some dissonance for a while."

"Thanks for the heads-up."

Man... that’s some crazy stuff.

True to her word, Mino treated Rex’s arm while the rest of us observed nearby. Judging by Karin’s look of awe, Mino really was a top-tier healing mage.

I mean, I knew healing magic could be advanced, but being able to regrow arms? There’s even a spell that lets someone survive for half a day with just a head. Maybe in the future, healing mages will be considered the strongest class of all.

"Hm, yeah. Definitely doesn’t feel like the old right hand..."

"You were right-handed before, weren’t you, Rex-kun? But what you’ve got now is a mirrored left hand. You’ll probably be really clumsy for a while. Work hard on your rehab, okay?"

"...Yeah, got it. Damn it."

Rex clenched and opened his new hand into fists, then picked up a sword with a scowl.

"Ugh... What the hell is this feeling? It’s disgusting."

"Well, I’ll be going now."

"Thanks for the healing. I don’t need you anymore—get lost."

"Gladly. If anything goes wrong, either talk to one of our healers or see if Karin can help. I’m too busy to handle your aftercare."

"Like hell I’d ever ask you for anything."

As usual, Rex was harsh with Mino. Not that he ever gave off the impression of trusting her even a little.

But honestly, that probably played right into Mino’s plans. Best to leave it alone.

"Alright, Flatche. Let’s see what you’ve got. I want you to take my attacks."

"Yeah, let’s do it. I’ve figured out a few tricks—time to show you."

"Bring it."

"Wait, I said bed rest... You know what, whatever. Do what you want."

And so began my long-awaited sparring match with Rex.

This time, it was just part of his rehab, so there wouldn’t be a winner or loser—but I was curious. I wanted to see how well my style could match up against this man now.

All I had to do was receive his attacks. No way I could win against a fully serious Rex, but I could at least help him adjust to his off-kilter sword.

"I want to see exactly how you beat them—show me!"

With that, Rex came slashing at me.

"......"

I quietly stared him down with calm blue eyes.

After that fight where I drove off my impostor... it seems I gained the ability to "sink deeper" when I held a sword.

It might sound vague, but that’s the only way I can describe the sensation. A strange feeling where my mind settles, my vision expands, and the world freezes around me.

Come to think of it, my master once said: “Once you push the sword far enough, everything feels different when you reach a certain state.” Maybe that fight against the demon general helped me grow just a bit.

────Well. No matter how much I’ve grown, I still can’t hold a candle to the man in front of me—Rex.

"Hah!!"

Subsonic speed, was it? Rex’s mighty strike was something you couldn’t react to after seeing it—it had to be predicted.

You had to anticipate everything: his muscle contractions, the pulse in his veins, the flow of sword aura, even his breathing. Only then could you hope to deflect it.

If I had to compare him to something, Rex was a heavy assault chariot. Armor-plated, immune to most attacks, mowing down enemies and smashing through castle gates—a battlefield destroyer.

No matter how much skill a foot soldier like me could gain, there’s no way I could win against someone like him.

"Hmph!!"

Ah, yeah. His sword trajectory is different from usual. Probably because he’s not used to the power balance between his arms—the slash is veering slightly to the left.

...I could disrupt his stance. And from there, I could easily press my blade to his neck.

But this was Rex’s rehab. It wasn’t a real match. And besides, he wasn’t coming at me full force.

"You’re putting too much power into that new right hand."

"Oh, really?"

So I didn’t mess with his sword path—I just stepped half a pace to the right and dodged. If it’s this shaky, even Rex’s attack was easy to avoid.

"Alright then, how about this!!"

His next strike came straight down the centerline. Impressive—he’d already adjusted his form.

His right hand still had unnecessary tension, but this time the arc made it impossible to dodge.

"Nice. But you’re still overexerting—your follow-through looks sloppy."

"...Got it."

Since I couldn’t avoid it, I diverted his strike by luring it to the power-heavy right side. As expected, Rex's stance faltered after the miss.

His follow-through still had too many unnecessary movements. He clearly wasn’t back to full form yet.

"Rex, don’t go swinging at full power! That arm’s still fresh—it might tear off again!"

"...I know."

Rex closed his eyes quietly after saying that. He opened and closed his hand a few times, took a deep breath.

"...Alright! Here I come."

"Yeah."

That next strike────was perfect. Just like before, a slash where the muscle balance of both arms harmonized beautifully.

That’s the Sword Saint for you. He’d already gotten a feel for his new arm.

"……"

The world turned blue. Wind howled around Rex’s greatsword as it tore through the air, closing in on my shoulder.

───His center of gravity is anchored in his core. At this rate, I won’t even be able to break his stance, let alone divert his sword path.

If it’s just a half-step, I can dodge. Open my body outward.

I flick my sword forward with my right hand, feinting a small jab at his stomach. Just for a second, Rex’s gaze flickers toward my blade.

The moment his eyes shift, I slam my empty left hand into the flat of his greatsword and push. The trajectory of the blade doesn’t change, unfortunately—but my light, scrawny body shifts easily out of the way.

Even if Rex’s swing stays on course, all I have to do is move. That’s enough to get out of the way of his strike.

"Yeah, that was good, Rex. Best one so far."

"…R-Really?"

"Now you just need to be able to swing like that without consciously thinking about it. You were pretty focused just now, weren’t you?"

"Yeah."

Rex stares at his greatsword, still held in the finishing pose, a troubled look on his face.

He’s probably feeling off. There’s something about that swing that doesn’t sit right with him. Makes sense—after hundreds of practice swings, the instinct he’d built up has basically reset.

"…Your sword. Flache, just now—did you dodge without using it?"

"Huh? No, I used it for the feint, didn’t I?"

"Yeah. Well…"

Hm? What’s this about? Weren’t we talking about the swing? What is he trying to ask?

"…I’m gonna go run some drills, try to get my sense back. Thanks, Flache."

"Hey, get back in shape soon, Leader."

"Yeah."

With that, Rex quietly begins practicing swings again. Impressive. He’ll probably be back to being a monster in no time.

───Now then, what should I do? I’ve finally realized that I can’t beat Rex anymore. There’s no point in swinging my sword like a madman.

…No, even so. Even if I can’t match him, I still want to be a swordsman who can support him. If Rex ever slips up like he did just now, I want to be good enough to cover for him.

Alright then, guess I’ll train too. I’ll picture Rex in my head and figure out how my current self would respond to him.

I straighten my spine with a snap and thrust my sword forward. Eyes closed, I conjure up an image of Rex at full strength.

Alright. Let the training begin.

────

“…Crap. If he’d actually gone for that thrust earlier, I’d have lost.”

Just then, I thought I heard someone mutter that from somewhere in the training grounds.

---

"Hey! It's the loser Sword Saint!"

"...You little shit, I'm gonna kill you."

After finishing my training at the grounds and heading back to the inn, I ran into a familiar, infuriating brat waiting near the entrance.

As soon as our eyes met, the boy grinned and strutted over. Looks like he'd been loitering out front on purpose.

"Oh? Maybe I'm mistaken. I heard the great 'Sword Saint' Rex—renowned as the strongest in the country—got his arm chopped off and was at death's door. But looking at you now, you've got both arms. Was it all just a rumor?"

"...Nah, I mean… Mino grew it back for me."

"Yeah, I know. I heard that from one of the soldiers too. You're really not the type to lie, huh, Rex. So, tell me—what the hell happened with losing to a demon? I gave you that flower charm because I believed in how strong you were, you know?"

The boy, a scam-apple peddler by trade, squinted up at Rex with obvious suspicion.

Well, don't be too hard on him. Anyone can lose if they let their guard down—even the strongest. I’m sure Rex learned a lot from the experience.

"Ugh… ngh… Yeah, I’m sorry. And I’m grateful for the charm, really."

"You get all dramatic heading out to battle, then what do I see in the headlines a few days later? 'Demon Repelled, Sword Saint Defeated!' Can you imagine how I felt?"

"..."

"So it turns out, I should’ve given that charm to the dumb-looking girl next to you instead. Guess my instincts aren’t worth much, huh."

"Who are you calling dumb-looking?"

He looked at me with surprise.

Not that giving me a charm would’ve done much good. I’m just a plain old swordswoman, a no-name adventurer without a single connection.

"...So, you're not wearing the flower charm anymore. Does that mean... it activated?"

"Wait, that thing wasn't a fake?"

"Nope. Genuine article. But I figured you wouldn’t take it if I told you that, so I lied."

Ah, so that’s what happened. I heard he made a miraculous recovery, and I guess that was thanks to Lily’s flower charm.

—Whoa, hold up. If he hadn’t gotten that charm, Rex would’ve died? That… that’s a massive favor to owe, isn’t it?

"Wh-Why would you give away something so valuable for free?"

"Because I need you to reclaim your title as the strongest. You're my benchmark—the target I’ve gotta surpass to rise up. That’s why I bet everything I had on you."

"...Thanks. You seriously saved my life."

"Don’t sweat it. As long as you give it back someday, that’s good enough for me."

Rex slumped his shoulders with a sigh. The boy cheerfully threw an arm around the Sword Saint, despite being half his size, and gave a big grin.

"Well, if you’re the one I’m backing, it’s not like I’m gonna lose out. I’m counting on you, yeah?"

"How much is that flower charm even worth? Whatever it is, I’ll pay it. Name your price—I’ll make it happen."

"Ahahaha!! You idiot. I save your life and you think I’d take money for it?"

Rex frowned at the boy’s words, clearly confused. He looked down at the kid still clinging to his shoulder, brow furrowed in silence.

"...Just go with it, alright?"

The boy muttered under his breath, then suddenly turned and shouted at the top of his lungs to the townsfolk and soldiers milling about the inn.

"Hey there, good people of the capital! Feast your eyes and gather round! Right here stands the legendary Sword Saint Rex, and beside him—the rising star, the one and only 'Divine Sword' Flache! Come one, come all, take a look!"

Rex flinched wide-eyed at the outburst, and I was too stunned by the boy’s antics to even move.

The loud cry caught the attention of merchants and passersby nearby. One after another, heads turned in our direction.

"Huh? The Sword Saint?"

"Is that really him?"

"That girl... isn’t she the one about to get honored for valor? The new hero?"

All eyes locked onto us. The boy soaked up the attention, still grinning with an arm slung over Rex's shoulders.

Wait. Hero? Divine Sword? Since when? No one told me any of this!

"These two right here are the very heroes who played a key role in the recent battle against the Demon King’s forces! Let’s all give them our thanks and a round of applause!"

"O-Oh! If it's really them, then yeah, they deserve our thanks!"

"Whoa! That’s actually Rex the Sword Saint! So that means the girl is... 'Divine Sword' Flatche?"

"Unreal! They’re the real deal!"

With the crowd closing in, I instinctively stepped back, shielding Karin and Mei behind me. In seconds, we were completely surrounded by excited citizens.

...Wait, who just grabbed my ass? I swear to god, I will go full murder mode right here.

"H-Hey, what the hell are you doing?"

"You said you’d pay me back, right? Well, help me out a little here."

As I glared daggers at the guy who just groped me, the boy leaned in close to Rex’s ear, whispering with a gleam in his eye.

He’s clearly got some kind of scheme going. Fine. But explain it to us beforehand, will you?

"Alright, listen up, everyone!! As someone who owes a great debt to the Sword Saint, I’ve come to a decision. After some talks, I will now be acting as the official sponsor merchant of Rex’s party!"

"What, you? A brat like you?"

"Exactly. Most merchants only approach heroes out of greed. But Rex chose me—someone he's known personally—as his patron."

"...What?"

"Play along, man."

A wave of shock and murmuring rippled through the crowd. A patron? That’s the kind of merchant who funds adventuring parties, right? There was no mention of anything like that…

How the hell is he coming up with this stuff so fast? This kid’s got a silver tongue, I’ll give him that.

"I'm Souta!! Right now I'm just a small-time peddler, but one day, I'm gonna rebuild the castle town and become a great merchant!"

"O-Oh..."

"And behind me stands the Sword Saint himself!! Anyone who messes with my shop or tries to hurt me is picking a fight with Rex! Right, Rex?!"

"Eh? ...Ah, yeah. Souta's a friend."

"You heard that, everyone!! Just like he said!!"

...Ugh. Rex nodded without even knowing what he was agreeing to.

Well, I mean, the kid did save his life, so I guess he can't just brush him off. Still—was this all part of his plan from the start?

"If you're grateful to Sword Saint Rex or the Divine Blade Flache, then invest in me! That'll be your way of supporting these young heroes!"

"...Wait, I'm getting roped into this too?"

"Now, now—anyone who wants to form a business alliance with me, step right up! I'm Souta, head of the SOTA Trading Company! If you're interested in what I have to say, come with me!!"

With that, the apple scammer stepped away from Rex and made his way to the center of the merchant crowd. But just before leaving, he leaned in and whispered to Rex with a sly grin.

"Now we're square. Heheh."

Rex gave a reluctant nod, like he'd just swallowed something bitter, and watched the kid walk off. ...But that kid’s face? He was smiling—from the bottom of his heart.

Looks like that brat really did find a way to stand back up on his own, even after losing his brother.

---

"That kid’s something else, huh."

"...Feels like we got played by someone outrageous. Still, he did save Rex’s life."

We’d been through hell. So this is what it feels like to be completely outmaneuvered.

The boy—Souta—lost everything in the demon attack. But instead of wallowing in despair, he looked straight ahead, reached out his hand, and didn’t hesitate to use Rex as a stepping stone to rise again.

If that boy saved Rex’s life, then I’ve got no reason to withhold my help either.

But... yeah, I get it now. Even if no one helped him, that kid would’ve found a way to succeed on his own.

"He wasn’t after money. What he needed was someone to back him up. Even if he climbed his way up, someone like him could be taken down in an instant by some lowlife thug."

"If word gets out that Rex is backing him, no street punk’s gonna lay a finger on him. He’s a merchant through and through, that one."

In the end, it seems like Rex giving him that push was exactly the right call.

Not only did we get Rex back in one piece, we also made a connection with a highly promising young merchant. And for him, meeting us was likely his first step toward climbing up in the world.

That kid’s going to be a big deal someday. No doubt about it.

"...Huh? What’s this?"

"A letter? When did that get there?"

Karin suddenly noticed something odd stuffed into her bag. A piece of white parchment she was sure hadn’t been there earlier.

"Oh, that. That kid slipped it in while you weren’t looking."

"He did?"

Yeah, I saw it too. Just as he was leaving, the boy casually tossed it into Karin’s bag. Didn’t seem like anything dangerous, so I let it go.

"I’ll open it."

Karin slowly unfolded the letter from the boy.

She and Rex let out a quiet gasp when they saw what was written, but I can’t read, so I had no idea what it said.

Maybe noticing that, Mei-chan kindly read it aloud for us.

"Thanks for avenging my brother."

That was it. Just one simple line.

A brief note of gratitude—from the boy to us.