The morning in Shogen was so fresh, I awoke to the sound of the morning bell. After neatly folding the blanket and cleaning myself, I left the house where I was staying. It's been a week since the day I came here, a week after the night I became aware of myself under the night sky on that hill. I decided to stay here for a while, my daily job is to help people in the village. During the past week I have tried many different jobs and found my own hands and feet clumsy. I walked on a paved road to the place where I was going to work today, not forgetting to say hello to everyone I met on the road. Even though it's only been a week, most of the people in the village already know of my existence, anyway I'm quite comfortable with the atmosphere.
"It's too late!" - A female voice spoke up
-"Sorry, I've been wandering around, so..." - I used an excuse to justify my delay.
The girl who scolded me in an annoyed tone was Miina, the daughter of a laundromat about my age whom I came to help today. What a beautiful woman with well-groomed shoulder-length black hair and purple eyes that captivate anyone who meets them, but...
-"Can't you bring your body in on time?!"
Her personality is extremely grumpy, it's easy to get angry. I didn't even bother to say anything more, calmly entered the shop to do my job. As I walked, I felt a murderous aura on my back, Miina must be very angry at being ignored by me, I chuckled inwardly. The work at this small shop is not too heavy, my job is simply to carry the washed clothes and arrange them neatly. Mrs. Rita, the owner of this shop, treats me very well, partly because I have just arrived in a bad state, and partly because she believes that laundry is a woman's job. I was actively doing that leisurely work when Miina was nearby to start a conversation
"Then one day I will also leave this place..."
I've heard this from Miina no less than three times in the past week, but never have I ever felt bored or belittled.
"I will not accept to settle in this village to do this job forever, then I will leave here and start the adventure I always wanted" - She continued forcefully.
I can see the determination in this man. Noticing my gaze, knowing that I was listening, she spoke painfully
-"I... feel jealous of you. You are free, you can go anywhere you want, not dependent on karma handed down from generation to generation."
I felt a little uncomfortable when I heard those words. Recalling my Armento and the memory I gave up, I wouldn't accept it if someone was jealous of me.
-"What do you say?!! Anything that is obtained requires effort and trade-off" - I suddenly raised my voice a little.
Miina's expression was momentarily surprised
"I didn't get what I am today, I forbid you to say that"
The me from before was gone, in order for the me to have this, I glanced at my left arm that was covered with long sleeves. Miina who heard my words suddenly became confused, she turned her face away and shouted
-"Of course... of course I know, who needs you to preach!!?"
Miina left quickly with a sulky expression, leaving me and my clothes behind. That reaction was not unexpected. "Bad girls"- I thought to myself. But... what is Armento's ability on my left hand and is it worth it for me to trade my memories? I think it's time to figure this out and there's only one person here who can help me.
I stepped out onto the main road, feeling the smell of hot earth and the hot sun that made me want to quickly go to the appointed place. When I got to the "Cat lying on the grass" shop, I saw a boy with sky-colored hair waving to me:
-"Skyle! Over here!"
I went over and sat down on the chair across from him
"Hi Amano, I have a question that I need your help with."
Amano looked sluggish again, maybe it was because I was called here just after his shift was over
-"Let's have dinner first, I guess you're hungry too. And what's better than a pitcher of ice water in this hot sun?" - Amano said with wit
-"But..."
I was in a hurry when Amano said loudly:
-"2 servings of roast pork buns, 2 servings of salad and bringing out ice quickly!!
Having given up, being carried away by Amano's leisure, I sat down to enjoy my lunch and temporarily ignored the reason I came here. The meal between us was interspersed with our daily trivia.
"Did you help Miina's shop again today?" - Amano asked about me
"The work is not difficult, but what bothers me is her personality" - I replied with a half-joking expression.
Amano's expression suddenly sank, he took a sip of ice water, closed his eyes for a moment as if remembering something.
-"I've known Miina since we were both very young, she was so cute and smiling back then. But..."
Amano paused for a moment as if thinking about what she was about to say, making me nervous too
-""Her father received Armento, it's not clear what he had to return to the Evil God, only knowing that he has never returned since diving into the "end of the forest" alone like a ghost. curse the devil in front of many people in the village" - Amano whispered to me
Hearing that story made me speechless, I could only listen to Amano continue
-"Miina once shared with me that she is not yearning for freedom as she often says. Her desire is to find her father who disappeared 5 years ago.
Sympathy and admiration for that poor but resilient girl suddenly ran through my mind making me want to reconcile with Miina.
-"So please sympathize with Miina, Skyle" - Amano said in a gentle voice
Having settled on my bread and vegetable plate, I immediately asked Amano about the Armento on my left arm, something I should have learned a long time ago. Seeing me extend my left hand, Amano seemed to understand what I meant
"We'll go to a quieter place" - He said seriously
Picking an empty alley, Amano handed me a rather long thing wrapped in a black bag
-"Give it to you, it will be needed for the next trip" - Amano looked at me and said
What was packed in the bag was... a sword? Its metallic surface glistens, making me startled when I recognize its shape. A sword that is neither too new nor too old, simple in design, just right in my hand. Amano once told me about the recent rampage of the evil god Zenis bringing disaster to mankind with monstrous monstrous entities. This sword must be used for self-defense
-"Amano? This is..." - I asked Amano with a bewildered expression
"Armento on the left hand side is the element of wind. It's very rare" - Amano said as if he didn't notice my confusion.
"The sword might suit you, like this village fairy tale about a wind swordsman."
I pulled up my sleeve, revealing the divine characters on my left hand, which was glowing in response to the sword I was holding, a mysterious purple light. Amano stood beside me, looking at the scene with amusement.
"Is my feeling correct?" - He smiled and said
I switched the sword I was holding in my right hand to my arm with Armento, and suddenly my left hand with the sword seemed to become more flexible. The force of swinging my left hand when holding the sword became stronger and stronger. My Armento seemed to exist separately from my body, it was born to wield a sword. Amano handed me a scabbard, I put my sword back in its scabbard and the state ended, purple light shining brightly in the darkened alleyway.
"I know you need something more" - As if suddenly remembering something, Amano motioned for me to follow him.
We left the damp alley, once more onto the main road. The direction we headed back to my inn made me wonder
"Where are we going?" - I asked Amano
Amano was walking in the middle of the main road when he entered a small way, he replied while walking
-"I'll go to Miina's place to ask for something" - A light word like nothing
Hearing him say that, I jumped. I just pissed her off a few hours ago, now meeting again to ask for help is a bit...
"I don't think she'll help us" - I said shyly to Amano
"It's okay, haha, just let me talk" - Amano's tone was as if he saw me and Miina as two angry children.
Everything turned out as I expected... Amano was standing with me, both of us succumbing to Miina's wrath.
-"Look who's coming, I thought you were flirting with me a few hours ago, Skyle. Amano too, suddenly brought this annoying guy back to the village, do you know I want to go crazy with him?"
I thought this would never end, but fortunately thanks to Amano's eloquence, the situation seems to have improved.
"So what are you two looking for?" - Miina asked, her voice still unsettled
-"If I remember correctly, you took the wrong book of Souken Single Swordsmanship when you were training, didn't you?"
"I thought you used guns and knives but Amano, maybe for this guy?"
Miina looked at me suspiciously, I received her gaze with an equally provocative look at her.
"Yes, Skyle is left-handed and has an interest in swords so..." Amano said avoiding my Armento.
-"Futile!" - Miina said without hesitation "Don't make me laugh, do you think this idiot can master the elite left-handed sword technique Souken?"
At this point, I can't stand it anymore, so I spoke up
-"Don't look down on me, I may not be good at household chores that require skillful hands, but I will definitely learn everything in that book."
"Oh, is that so? Let's see how determined you are" Miina replied mockingly
To put an end to the back and forth between me and Miina, Amano immediately asked for the book, quickly thanked him, and was about to leave when...
"Where are you two going in such a hurry?" - Miina suddenly called us
-"Well...we're just testing out what's in this book
"I'm going, I want to see what this idiot can do with that book."
Since Amano and I both understood that it wouldn't be nice to reveal Armento to Miina, Amano seemed to be thinking of a way to refuse. I had to speak up
-"Well, it's too late now, tomorrow. Instead of wandering to the grasslands to practice swords, I will discuss with Amano my future plans" - I tried to sound casual.
"Ha, are you going to run away?" - Miina said sarcastically
"Whatever you think" - I replied indifferently
Looks like Amano also thought this was a good idea, so he talked with me about where I'm going and what I'm going to do next.
-I suggest you stay here for at least a year to practice the left-handed single-sword Souken in this book.
What? I never thought that Amano would want to stay in this place for so long. Realizing my disagreement, Amano began to analyze it for me
-"Currently the situation of policing is more chaotic than ever, monsters and evil entities are lurking out there, for you right now, the chance of survival is very low, let alone reaching it. You should spend a year here developing your own swordsmanship" - Amano reasoned logically.
"Besides, everyone here loves you, you can even train with me or Miina, she's pretty strong looking like that."
"Don't drag me in here" - Miina said hastily
This last sentence of Amano completely convinced me
"Once you've practiced the sword skills in the book, won't you have a chance to face Miina?"
When Miina heard that, she gave Amano a scary glare, Amano feigned ignorance and moved away.
I want to become stronger, so...
"Then I'll bother you and the people in the village for the next year."
"It doesn't matter, until you master Souken, don't leave me," said Amano with satisfaction.
I looked over to Miina to see her reaction to what I had just decided. When she saw my gaze, she made her usual unpleasant expression
"Nothing interesting at all."
My day ended as quickly as it all began, I said goodbye to my two peers and returned to my inn with my new sword. There was only one thing that I didn't realize at that moment, a certain mysterious gaze was still watching me from behind, that person smiled with satisfaction.
Dark clouds covered the sky and the stars signaled an approaching storm