My name's Ukyo Tachibana.
People usually call me the "Silent Sword" not because they know me well, but because only a handful of people actually know who I really am.
And that's fine by me.
Life's way more peaceful this way.
I was having this amazing nap on a pile of soft apple sacks... way more comfortable than most cheap inn beds, when this stupid wind had to go and ruin my afternoon sleep.
A piece of paper flew right into my face like some annoying fly.
At first I was gonna ignore it.
But my lazy eyes reflexively read the bombastic writing printed on the paper:
"ORARIO PEAK TOURNAMENT!!!"
And so on with that over-the-top writing style that screams "written by an idiot."
A tournament in Orario.
Suddenly, old memories I'd let stay buried under my laziness started tickling at me.
A promise.
There was a promise I'd made... or more accurately, a promise that was forced on all of us by Master.
"If something unusual... something big happens in Orario, gather immediately."
Ugh.
Why now?
Why when I'm on this comfortable journey?
But a promise is a promise.
And even though I'm lazy, I'm not someone who breaks their word.
So here I am now... Orario, with dawn just crawling up as lazily as me.
The cold morning air stings my skin, but at least the streets aren't crowded yet.
I can walk without having to deal with noisy crowds of people.
That apple merchant gave me directions to old man Eldrin's place with this terrified expression.
I was just leaning against his cart eating an apple why'd he look at me like he'd seen a ghost?
Are adventurers in this city really that weak?
Just a little gentle intimidation... I didn't even need to draw Kurobara from its sheath.
People get scared of swords so easily, even when I'm just casually leaning while munching an apple.
Just like that...
Armed with directions given by that fat guy's pale face, I wandered through Orario's still-empty streets.
Didn't take long before I arrived at my destination.
I'm now standing in front of a potion shop, and my eyebrows shot up.
Wow.
So shabby.
No wait, not shabby but so... ordinary!
This is such a contrast to my memories of old man Eldrin, who used to always be neat and organized.
I pushed the door open with my fingertip.
An ear-splitting creaking sound immediately greeted me, like a giant rat in pain.
The shop's interior... it's even more ordinary than I thought.
Old man Eldrin should really add some expensive art pieces.
Looking around...
I see potion bottles lined up haphazardly on shelves.
Some of them aren't even labeled.
And most importantly, the smell... a mix of stale potions, mold, and something that might've been alive once but definitely isn't anymore.
I pinch my nose at least put some air fresheners in here!
And in the middle of this chaos, I see him.
Eldrin Vex.
Old man Eldrin.
But... what the hell happened to him?
He used to be this energetic guy, always laughing, his hair neat even though it was white, and his eyes always sparkling with enthusiasm that was sometimes annoying.
He was the type of person who could talk for hours about potions or about how amazing life was.
What I'm seeing now...
is like a shadow of his former self.
His white beard is messy and tangled.
His eyes that used to be sharp and cheerful now look empty and tired.
His movements are slow, almost like someone who's given up on life.
Even his clothes are shabby and unkempt.
Why does this old man's appearance look so... not like himself?
Where did that famously energetic guy go?
"Old man," I called out, trying to keep my tone casual even though there's this weird feeling tickling my chest.
Eldrin didn't even look up from the potion he was stirring.
Without looking at me, without a smile, without the warm greeting like before, he just said in this flat, unfamiliar tone:
"You can sleep wherever you want. There are some rooms in the back."
That's it.
No "Ukyo! You little thief! How dare you steal from me!" or "How was your journey?" or even "Why are you here?"
Just practical instructions like he's talking to some stranger who happened to pass by.
I let out a long sigh.
Ever since what happened seven years ago, Uncle Eldrin has changed.
Drastically.
Like part of his soul died along with Master.
We all changed, I guess.
But Uncle... he's the worst case.
"Fine," I mumbled while walking to the back of the shop to find the room he mentioned.
Seeing the bed, my eyes immediately rolled and I collapsed onto the thin mattress, hugging Kurobara tight against my chest like always.
I'm still thinking about old man Eldrin. Besides him.
I'm also thinking about Zigen.
It's been a long time since I've seen him.
Has he gotten stronger?
How strong?
Can he see my sword being drawn yet?
If not, I'll be disappointed.
Shaking my head slightly.
I slowly sink into my own thoughts...
Occasionally I hear the sound of a customer and occasionally Uncle Eldrin's voice muttering to himself down there.
Sleep that's not great quality, but whatever.
The important thing is I've arrived in Orario as promised.
Time passes really fast...
A few hours later, I'm sneaking into old man Eldrin's potion work area.
He happens to be in the bathroom.
Hey, don't get the wrong idea.
I'm not a thief.
This is more like... compensation for...
For what?
Whatever...
Besides, old man Eldrin always used to say "Take whatever you want, Ukyo. Potions are meant to be used." Even though the situation's changed, the principle's still the same, right?
I grab a few bottles of potions that look useful.
Health potions and some expensive-looking ones. Standard stuff that might be useful if I have to go into the dungeon.
Even though this won't be useful for me... Since for the past few years, no one's been able to hurt me.
But...
I've never been to a dungeon, so...
Being a little careful doesn't hurt.
Who knows, I might meet a girl who needs help.
And who knows, that girl might have something to pay me with.
I hide the bottles with movements honed from years of experience "borrowing" things from various places.
Old man Eldrin still hasn't come back...
Thinking about old man Eldrin's appearance that looks so... old and tired.
For a moment I almost feel sorry for him.
Almost.
But pity won't help anyone.
What's past is past.
With silent steps... a very useful skill for lazy people who don't like dealing with questions.
I leave the potion shop and head to the Guild.
•••
The Guild in the morning turns out to be pretty busy already.
Low-level adventurers crowd around the quest board, the Guild's pretty receptionists have started serving with their professional smiles, and the general atmosphere is full of ambition and optimism that's...
kinda annoying, to be honest.
I walk casually to one of the registration desks.
The receptionist is a woman with pink hair.
Yeah, pink.
I want to laugh, but I hold it back.
The reason I want to laugh is simple. During the walk to the guild, I've seen people with all sorts of colorful hair.
If it's because of race like elves and some races with unique hair colors, I don't mind.
But they're human!
In the East, I see hair colors that are almost identical.
It's hard to accept different hair colors for now.
Holding my breath, trying not to burst out laughing, I smile.
She looks very energetic and professional.
"Good morning! Is there anything we can help you with?" she says with a smile that's too bright for this hour.
"I want to register as an adventurer," I answer while casually leaning on the desk.
"Oh, great! Full name, age, and—"
"Ukyo Tachibana. 24. Main weapon is sword," I cut her off.
I don't like complicated processes.
She notes it down quickly.
"Alright, Mr. Tachibana. But to become a registered adventurer, you need to join a Familia first or—"
"Troublesome," I mutter.
"Can't I just do it directly?"
"S-sorry, but the regulations—"
"Okay, okay. Got it."
Joining a Familia means getting involved in their tacky events, listening to sermons about "family bonds" and "protecting each other," and most annoyingly...
having to respect the gods!
Ugh.
So troublesome.
"In that case, I'll go to the dungeon first. Without registration," I say while turning to leave.
"W-wait! Mr. Tachibana, that's very dangerous! The dungeon is—"
I'm already too far to hear the rest of her lecture.
•••
The Dungeon.
Finally.
For years I've only heard stories about this legendary place from various sources.
They say there are beautiful views on certain floors, unique monsters that can't be found anywhere else, and of course...
the adrenaline of real battle.
The Dungeon entrance looks like a giant hole swallowing the earth, with spiral stairs descending into darkness.
Some adventurers in groups are preparing with their complete equipment, shouting overly enthusiastic encouragement.
I descend casually, Kurobara swaying gently at my waist with each step.
Floor 1 is full of beginner adventurers.
They're screaming, running around chasing small goblins, and generally making unnecessary noise.
I ignore them and keep going down.
Floor 2 is a bit quieter.
And here, I find something that's...
interesting.
In a somewhat hidden corner, there are two figures.
A man who looks unconscious and... a goblin staring at me with strangely... something eyes.
But wait...
that man seems half-conscious.
His voice is mumbling softly.
"Don't..." he whispers while trying to get up with great difficulty, but his body looks very weak.
"He's... not... an enemy... he's my friend..."
My friend?
He's talking about that goblin?
Seeing the half-conscious man defending the goblin and the goblin looking at me with wary but protective eyes, the first thought that crosses my mind is:
Is this...
love between monster and human?
Really, only in Orario could something like this happen.
As someone who doesn't like getting involved in other people's business, my original plan was to ignore both of them and continue my dungeon exploration.
Besides, interspecies romance isn't my business.
But as I start walking past them...
DANGER.
Instincts honed over years suddenly scream in my head.
My heart feels like it stopped.
That unconscious man... there's something very wrong with him.
Without thinking, without processing, without being aware... my hand moves by itself.
Kurobara, still in its sheath, lifts up and...
THWACK!
Hits that man's head hard.
Really hard.
Even I'm a bit surprised by the force of my own strike.
That guy could have a concussion. Or die. But somehow, my instinct screams that it was the right response.
Silence.
Only the sound of soft breathing can be heard.
My hand trembles slightly, not from fear, but from confusion.
Cold sweat runs down my temple.
'What the hell was that?'
Since when do my reflexes react that extremely to someone who's not even conscious?
That goblin gets angry seeing his friend get hit.
He lunges at me with blazing eyes, claws ready to strike.
Standard angry goblin behavior, really.
But I'm faster.
One hit to the head with Kurobara's handle, and he passes out too.
Now I'm standing over two unconscious creatures, feeling confused and slightly... curious.
That wasn't a normal reflex.
Even if Ottar, the strongest adventurer in Orario, was here, he probably couldn't give my fighting instincts such an intense "danger" feeling.
Who is this man?
And why can he trigger such a reaction from my body?
I stare at the two unconscious figures in front of me, then let out a long sigh.
I really don't want to get involved in other people's drama.
But this curiosity... it's so annoying.
Like an itch I can't reach.
Finally, feeling half-annoyed at myself, I grab both their legs and start dragging them deeper into the dungeon.
If I want to find out something, it's better done in private.
And besides...
it's been a long time since I had someone to chat with.
•••
Meanwhile, on the merchant's cart that Ukyo had ridden...
The fat merchant sits with his body trembling, his hands continuously wiping sweat pouring from his forehead even though the sun isn't too hot yet.
His breathing is labored like he just ran a marathon, and his eyes keep glancing toward Orario with a worried look.
"Boss?" asks one of his subordinates...
a thin man with a curious face.
"Why do you look like you just saw a ghost? Wasn't that passenger just sleeping the whole time?"
The merchant swallows hard, his hands still trembling as he takes a cloth to wipe the sweat that won't stop.
"You... you don't know who he is, do you?" he whispers in a hoarse voice.
"Who? That black-haired man? The one sleeping while hugging his sword?"
"His sword..." the merchant shivers.
"I recognize that sword. Black sheath with carvings of a snake eating its own tail. Kurobara... Black Rose."
As for how the fat man knows this...
The story's simple—he was accidentally saved by Ukyo a few years ago when he was still poor and working as a cargo crew member who accidentally got attacked by bandits.
After being saved, he and Ukyo got to know each other, though Ukyo probably forgot him since time passed.
Especially since back then he was thin, different from now when he's fat because of his lifestyle.
Time passes quickly.
His subordinate raises an eyebrow.
"So?"
"Are you stupid? He's... the Silent Sword from the East."
Sudden silence envelops them.
Even the horses pulling the cart seem to slow down, as if feeling the tension too.
They know the rumors.
"Silent Sword?" his subordinate repeats with a voice that starts trembling.
"The... the one from the legends?"
The merchant nods with stiff movements.
"That man has killed many people in the East. Bandits, corrupt officials, oppressors... anyone he deemed deserving of death. He even once insulted Goddess Amaterasu, saying 'If she doesn't like my methods, tell her to come to me herself.'"
"My god..." his subordinate pales.
"Many big noble families in the East have put bounties on him. But no one dares approach him directly."
His subordinate swallows hard.
"Is... is he evil, Boss?"
The merchant falls silent for a moment, then slowly shakes his head.
"No... he's not evil. At least not in the way people usually understand." His voice becomes calmer, like he's remembering something.
"He's just a man who lives by his own principles. Robbing the rich, helping the poor. Killing the wicked, protecting the weak. Like... like a hero in stories, but with more... direct methods."
"But why is Boss so scared?"
The merchant lets out a long sigh, looking at the fat on his belly.
"Because men like him... are unpredictable. You never know what he considers 'right' or 'wrong'. And if he decides you're on the wrong side..." he shivers again.
"At least he's gotten off in Orario."
The cart continues its journey at a slightly faster pace than before, the merchant really values time so he doesn't linger in Orario.
The fat man looks at his crew and lets out a heavy sigh.
Actually, the fat man feels indebted... He promised himself that if Ukyo ever asked for help, he would help him.