The 13-Year-Old's Departure

The bokken and wooden sword clashed head-on, locking in a stalemate. However, the bokken held with both hands gradually built up more power.

Reyas swung his shield to try and knock Ria away, but she had already released the bokken before he could.

His movements halted for just an instant at the unexpected action. It was a fatal opening.

She slipped inside his guard, seizing the arm that held his sword. When she slammed her shoulder into the plate mail covering his abdomen, he braced himself to counter.

Just as planned!

The next moment, with Ria's body as the pivot, Reyas was rotated and slammed onto the ground on his back.

"Guhah-!"

She picked up the bokken she had discarded on the ground and pressed its tip against his neck. Without question, it was Ria's victory.

"… No way… To think you would abandon your sword right then…"

Reyas finally stood up after a while and gave a complicated smile.

In pure swordsmanship, she still couldn't beat Reyas. However, in terms of one-on-one combat, it was Ria's victory.

Since combat in this world primarily consisted of fighting monsters and warfare, unarmed martial arts - particularly throwing techniques and joint locks - had not developed.

In her previous life, Ria had held second dan in both karate and judo, and had also studied Chinese martial arts and jujutsu. As a skill, her Taijutsu was Level 6.

At any rate, with this, one of her goals had been achieved.

As usual, Ria slipped out of the royal palace and made her way to Agatha's shop.

"I'm home～"

Even now, while living in the royal palace, this was always her greeting when entering the shop. Fei, who was minding the store, and Lulu, seated on a stool at the counter, turned to look at her.

"Welcome back."

That was Fei's reply. Lulu smiled gently.

"Lulu, I beat Reyas!"

When Ria announced this brimming with confidence, it was Fei who looked surprised.

"Reyas-sama, the King's Sword?"

"That's right. Well, I'd say I finally managed to score one win."

She sat down next to Lulu. That filled all the stools at the counter.

"Where's Mother?"

"The manager went to submit a request at the guild."

"More importantly, Ria, if you've beaten Reyas-sama, then…"

Lulu asked hesitantly. The two people here knew of Ria's resolution. She had even asked Lulu to prepare for their departure.

"Yeah, I'm thinking of leaving as soon as preparations are ready."

Lulu let out a small sigh.

"In that case, we could depart as early as tomorrow."

Lulu had already resigned from the Ministry of Magic. For the past while, she had been helping out at Agatha's shop.

The supplies needed for travel, starting with food, had been gathered using the allowance Ria had saved up.

And Lulu, too, would be accompanying Ria on her journey.

"I know I'm the one saying this, but are you really sure? This is nothing like goblin extermination, you know?"

Since Ria had once picked her up and saved her life, she wanted to confirm her intentions.

"It's probably my parents' blood. I had been wanting to go on a journey myself."

The half-elf who had once been on the verge of starving to death on the roadside had grown into quite an impressive person.

Indeed, as a traveling companion, Lulu was an ideal choice.

The magical abilities she had cultivated under Rufus's tutelage were likely at a considerable level even within the country.

Above all, she possessed what Ria lacked - things like caution and timidity.

Eventually Agatha returned, and the four of them gathered around the dining table. Fei, who had already married and started a family, stayed at the shop that night as a special occasion.

Ria returned to the royal palace in the middle of the night, received a scolding from a lady-in-waiting, and then went back to her room.

When she opened the door to the walk-in closet attached to her bedroom, one entire wall was decorated with weapons.

First, she prepared her magic bag. It was a precious item enchanted with space-time magic that could hold everything in this entire room. She carefully selected what to put inside.

Dresses were completely unnecessary. She would pack as many precious metals that could be converted to cash as possible.

She would carry just one ring and one dagger bearing the royal family's crest.

The problem was weapons.

In this world, where bladed weapons were still actively used in combat, blacksmithing techniques were extremely advanced. Even Japanese swords made after the Edo period - mass-produced blades - probably couldn't compete, quite literally.

In her previous life, she had opportunities to appreciate national treasures and important cultural properties, but when it came to swords, older was always better. Of course, she had only actually tested modern swords for cutting, but older swords were more beautiful. Moreover, she had heard from people who had actually performed test cuts that older swords were superior.

The reason was that the methods for producing steel and forging swords hadn't been passed down as secret traditions. Ria had thought it terribly wasteful in her previous life as well.

She would take as many iron swords as possible. She would also take swords made of mithril, but in terms of strength, resilience, and sharpness, steel swords were often superior. Mithril was a metal with high affinity for magic.

And not just katanas, but also Western-style swords. Furthermore, she would take as many war hammers, battleaxes, spears, knives, and such as possible.

While Ria didn't have much of a collecting habit, weapons had been the one exception in her previous life.

She had no regrets about dying, but she did wonder what had happened to that sword collection. She hoped it had ended up in the hands of someone who understood its value.

The famous Nagasone Kotetsu blade in particular couldn't be obtained with money alone. For a week after acquiring it, she had gazed at it while grinning to herself. Looking back now, even she found it rather creepy, but Japanese swords possessed that kind of bewitching allure.

The next day, Ria woke before dawn, dressed in her usual traveling attire, and slung the magic bag across her shoulder.

As always, she jumped from the window and entered the streets of Anaias. In the plaza on the main street, Lulu was waiting with a donkey. Agatha was beside her as well.

"Mother."

With just that one word, they embraced.

"I know it's pointless to say, but please don't do anything reckless. And don't cause trouble for Lulu."

"Don't worry. I won't do anything that would put Lulu in danger."

Yes, Lulu would serve an important role as a restraint. In fact, that was her main purpose.

"I'll be back within two years."

"Send letters, okay?"

"I will."

They waved goodbye to each other and parted. The main gate opened at dawn, and the two left Anaias, blending in with the merchants.

"Well then, shall we go?"

"The labyrinth city first, right?"

They had discussed this beforehand. The purpose of their journey as well.

By the way, in Ria's room at the royal palace, a single note had been left behind.

"I'm going to meet those stronger than me."