An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Swords Saint: I Was Just a Rural Sword Teacher, But My Successful Students Won’t Leave Me Alone!

think my students loved her.

“I should have taught you swordsmanship to protect people,” I said.

This is not a story of swordsmanship skills or the dojo, but a story of spirit.

The sword is a weapon.
It may kill people.
I have just cut down a lot of people.
I have no intention of claiming to be a swordsman who has never taken a life.

But don’t misunderstand why you wield the sword.
With great power comes great responsibility. 1

That’s how I taught the sword.

“This is also a sword to protect a great number of people,” Rose said.

However, it seems what she took away from her time at my dojo was a little different from what I expected.

“Blood will spill.
Many will die.
But, this is salvation,” Rose said.

“That’s wrong, Rose,” I said.

As I said earlier, I don’t understand politics.

For that matter, I’m not interested.
I wish I was happy with my wielding the sword, my disciples wielding the sword, and the very narrow circles that surround them.

However, there is something that even I, who is illiterate in politics, can understand.

“There can be no revolution on the basis of bloodshed,” I said.

If you wield a blade of death and destruction, grudges and vengeance will always follow you.

To prevent that from happening, I have to decide long and hard about whether I should even swing my sword.
Otherwise, a swordmaster is just another murderer.

“… And there’s one more thing to worry about,” I said.

“… And what is that~?” Rose asked.

She wants to achieve her salvation even if she has stained her hands with outrageous amounts of blood.

I was worried about the specifics and the internal situation of a country that leads its citizens to that decision, but there was something that bothered me even more.

“You, why are you doing this?” I asked.

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“As I said, I’m worried about the current situation of my country–” Rose started.

“That’s not it,” I said.
“There’s something more than that.”

I understand that Rose is worried about her country.
And she thought it would be acceptable to attempt to assassinate the successor to the throne as a means of solving those problems.
It wasn’t good enough, though.

“What on earth would make you go this far?” I asked.

However, I have no idea what drives her.

Suppose that the assassination of Prince Glen was successful and that the Papal Faction took control, and the country was united.

Then what happens from there? Rose may be celebrated as a knight of salvation.
She may gain more power and status.

On the other hand, she may be judged as a rebel who was responsible for shedding so much blood.

“Do you want power as a knight of salvation? Or do you just have to kill Prince Glen? I don’t think either is right,” I said.

“…”

But:

From her actions, I can’t see what future she imagines.

Having a cause is fine.
I don’t have a purpose that grand.
You could say that trying to fulfill your oath as a knight in your way is wonderful, no matter the means.

“Rose.
I think your goal of salvation is fine.
But it’s just a means,” I said.
“It’s not the purpose in itself.
What drives you to save your country and make you happy?”

Beyond her cause.
In the future, to put it simply, I cannot see Rose being happy.

It may be one of her duties to die honorably.
However, Rose does not have that kind of personality.
That’s what I felt again when I spoke with her the other day.
She seemed to have no choice but to be ordered by Gatoga to join the Knights of the Faith.

“… Master.
Can you hear me out~?” Rose said, still hesitant to speak.

“Of course,” I said.

“You know I like children,” Rose said.

“Yeah, I know that,” I said.

I’ve known Rose’s love for children since she was in the dojo.

She’s the kind who takes care of others in any way she can and loves doing it.
Many children have been saved by Rose’s dedication.

“The children are hungry, cold, and dying every day,” Rose said.

“… I see,” I said.

To save and serve all the people.
That is the ideal as a nation.

However, on the other hand, it is a theoretical ideal.
I know it won’t be realized.

No matter what, some people will be left out of the protection of the country.
Like it was with Miu.
The difference between rich and poor, or more specifically, the value of life, is not equal, though it is a matter of degree.

“The Pope said that once the country is united, the people will be free from suffering,” Rose said.
“No children will die before my eyes.”

“… Did you believe him?” I said.

It was convenient.

It’s easy to conclude that.

But even if I were to confront Rose on that here and now, she wouldn’t stop.
To begin with, even she is aware of that.

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“Who else should I believe in? I’m a Suphinist, aren’t I~?” Rose said.

“… You could have had a hand in it without daring to shed blood.
For that matter, you could have taken power as well,” I said.

What she is trying to do is a little too hasty.

It should not be so easy to transform a country.
It takes a long time.
Even if you could temporarily suppress a civil war with force, your reign will not be secured until much later.

In addition, it operates on the premise that the person who takes the leadership after ending the internal political conflict is a good, capable politician.
It’s hard to believe that people who think this is acceptable can have a decent, good government.

“… I can’t do it in time,” Rose said, laughing.

“I can’t say, ‘I’ll take my time!’, you see~?” she continued.
“Even as we speak, the gap between the rich and poor is widening in Supheniardvania and the people are dying.”

“So you want to overthrow the Royal Faction and forcibly build a strong, one-party system?” I asked.

“Yes~!” Rose said.

There are many holes in her theory.
I think that Rose can’t be unaware of those.

I think she was troubled.

She must have agonized over it.

On top of that, she probably made a tough decision.

“… Even I know that this is a pipe dream,” I said.
“How do you think you can hold the children with your bloodied hands? In the end, you’re in the wrong.”

But still:

In the end, I have to say that her decision is wrong.

“… But—no, no more,” Rose said.

“… I’ll let you say the rest after I stop you,” I said.

One step.

I close the distance with Rose.

On the other hand, she didn’t show any attempts to keep her distance from me.
She just held her estoc and kite Shield a little loosely.

“Mm-hm-hmm.
What if I say, ‘I’m not going to let you.’?”

The expression that had been gone returned the next moment.

With the same smile as before, Rose returned to her sing-song tone.

“… I’m sorry, but we can’t choose the means,” I said.

I ready my sword.

That we have talked this much yet haven’t stopped means any more diplomacy is a waste of time.

“”

Rose will not just stop on her own.

Then, someone has to stop her assault.

Though wet with blood and gore, the Xeno Glaive sword did not lose its brilliance, it shone crimson in the sunlight.

Footnotes

Spiderman reference mine.
Beryl effectively said the same thing, though: “With more power, comes more responsibility.”