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My name is Elius. To any observer, I am but a common youth born to a village of no particular renown.
Yet, if there is a thread of the extraordinary woven into my mundane life, it is the memory of a past existence—a soul reincarnated into this age.
In that distant world, I had triumphed in a national kendo championship at the urging of my master. It was on the very day of my victory, while returning home, that a carriage of steel and glass—an automobile—claimed my life.
The memory ends with the blinding glare of headlights. Beyond that, there was only the cold embrace of death.
"...Of all things, to be reborn in the Britain of antiquity," I murmured to the wind.
This era was indeed the dawn of ancient Britain.
Aye, the very realm of legend where the King of Knights, Arthur, would one day reign.
From the stories told by my parents, the throne is currently held by King Uther—father to the prophesied king. If my memory of the lore serves me, the child who would be king has already been entrusted to Sir Ector to begin her tutelage in the way of the blade.
If Artoria's life follows the tragedy of the chronicles—dying at the age of thirty-five—and if she began her training at five, then barely thirty years remain until the doomed fields of Camlann.
The thought of being conscripted into those bloody wars is a heavy burden... yet what use is there in fretting? I am but a boy with no power to change the tides of fate.
"My son, do not stand idle like a statue. The fields must be tilled."
"Ah, yes. Of course, Father."
Indeed, let us till the earth for now.
Having assisted my father in the fields, we returned to our humble dwelling. The rhythmic sounds of work emanated from the hearth; it seemed Mother was busy in the kitchen.
"I have returned."
"Welcome home... Elius."
"Yes, Mother?"
As I stepped into the kitchen, she pressed a basket laden with potatoes into my hands.
Staring down at the bounty in bewilderment, I looked back at her. "Mother?"
"The kitchen knife has finally snapped. There is a smithy at the foot of the mountain path. Go there and trade these potatoes for a new blade."
I understood at once.
This was the fifth century, an age where the Mystery of the world still lingered, and where the bartering of goods was far more common than the exchange of coin. I nodded, accepting the task.
"Then I shall set out at once."
"Be safe."
I stepped out of our home and followed the winding path.
My surroundings were not the concrete monoliths of the modern age, but simple dwellings of timber and thatch. Though the scenery was alien to the man I once was, thirteen years in this land had made it a familiar comfort.
Walking along the rugged, unpaved road, I eventually reached the smithy Mother had mentioned.
"...Is it common for a forge to have its own training grounds?"
Adjacent to the blacksmith's shop was a wide clearing, repurposed as a courtyard for martial study.
There, two young figures—a boy and a girl—were engaged in a fierce duel with wooden swords.
The sharp, rhythmic clack of wood striking wood echoed through the air.
Despite my reincarnation, my soul's affinity for the sword remained unchanged. The sight of their exchange was more than enough to capture my undivided attention.
After nearly five minutes of observation, the duel reached its climax.
The girl managed to narrowly evade a strike coming from her blind spot, but the exertion shattered her balance. She was unable to parry the follow-up blow.
As the wooden sword was leveled at her throat, I couldn't help but whisper to myself.
"Hm... a gap in experience, perhaps? The girl seems to have taken up the blade much later than her opponent."
"—Precisely so."
I let out a sharp cry of alarm, nearly jumping out of my skin.
Spinning around, I found a middle-aged man of formidable build, seasoned by fire and steel, gazing down at me.
"You gave me a fright, sir... Are you the master of this forge?"
"...I am. If it is the blacksmith you seek, you have found him."
"Ah, then..."
I explained my errand and presented the basket of potatoes. The man nodded and led me into the heat of the forge.
After rummaging through his stock for a moment, he produced a sturdy kitchen knife and handed it to me.
"There. A blade for your hearth."
"Thank you, truly."
"Wait a moment."
Just as I turned to depart, the blacksmith's voice halted me in my tracks.
"Yes?"
"Tell me, boy. Have you been trained in the way of the sword?"
"Well..."
I hesitated. It would be suspicious if a simple village boy claimed to be a self-taught master.
"A traveling knight once showed me the basics, if only briefly."
"Your hands tell me you have not practiced long, yet your eyes see much... You are a curious child."
A grin broke across the man's weathered face as he stepped toward me.
"My name is Ector. I am a blacksmith who moonlights as a knight of little consequence. Tell me, would you have an interest in learning the sword under my tutelage?"
"...What?"
Ector? Could this be the very Sir Ector who fostered the King of Knights?
"Why such a look of shock?"
"Ah... it is only that I never expected to receive such an honorable proposal."
"I asked a question, boy. Will you do it or not?"
"Hmm..."
I weighed the choice.
If this man truly was the Sir Ector of legend, then Artoria Pendragon herself was within my reach.
For any who had ever walked the path of the sword, the chance to meet the King of Knights was a temptation beyond measure. Even if he were another Ector entirely, the opportunity to learn from a knight in this era was a boon not to be forsaken.
How could I possibly refuse?
I gave a firm nod.
"I would be honored to learn. However, my family is of humble means... we cannot afford to pay you in coin."
"Coin? Silver...? Hah... Hahahaha!"
The man erupted into boisterous laughter.
"Hahahaha! A truly amusing brat! I have no need for your coin. However, know this—my instruction is not for the faint of heart."
"I am prepared for any hardship!"
"Hmph. We shall see."
Though his grin held a hint of something ominous, my heart swelled with excitement. The prospect of refining my craft in this legendary age was all that mattered.
Yet, at that moment, I remained oblivious to the truth of my situation.
"Come. Meet the others who share your path."
"...My name is Elius. It is an honor to meet you."
"Hail! I am Kay!"
"Greetings. I am Artoria."
"...Haha. The pleasure is mine."
I had not realized... that I had been reborn into the World of the Moon.