Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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Having crossed the border area, I made Oblain, the capital of this country, my first destination.

It was also a necessary stop on the way to Greenfall, and I wanted to experience the unique culture of this nation.

A country where every citizen believes in a single religion—it made me quite curious about what kind of culture had formed here.

Walking along the path in a daze, I noticed people starting to gather around me.

It didn’t seem like anyone had any special intentions; it just seemed that we all had the same destination, forming a crowd in the process.

Since those ahead of me merged into the crowd so naturally, I wondered if this was an unspoken rule among adventurers.

At that moment, a woman approached me.

She was also riding a horse, and her pure white clerical robe was adorned with a large crescent moon embroidery.

“Hello, Adventurer. May I offer a small prayer for you?”

Her soft voice didn’t evoke any sense of rejection.

Yet, her careful tone eased my wariness naturally.

I tilted my head and asked her back.

“A prayer? For me, all of a sudden?”

“It’s a teaching of the Moon God Elune. All who enter this country receive a small blessing.”

“Is it okay if I refuse?”

“Of course. It’s not mandatory.”

I looked around after her response. Like she said, other priests were naturally joining adventurers, reciting prayers.

Seeing that adventurers and merchants didn’t look displeased, it seemed this activity had been going on for a long time.

This appeared to be part of the culture in this country.

“Well then, please go ahead.”

The woman beamed at my words and began to pray with her hands clasped.

“Dear Elune, we wish for your light to brighten the darkness. Guide this adventurer’s steps…”

As the quiet prayer came to an end, the woman opened one eye and asked me.

“Did a small light happen to circle around you?”

I shook my head at her question. A small light? Nothing occurred until the end of the prayer.

She smiled gently at my response and nodded.

“I see. Understood.”

“Is the prayer over?”

“Yes, the prayer for you has concluded. Elune will guide you safely to Oblain.”

With that, the woman stepped back cautiously.

She was off to recite prayers for another adventurer.

With so many priests around, the atmosphere among the adventurers inevitably turned quiet and gentle.

*

Having completely crossed the border area and arrived at a large fork in the road, I began to gallop on my Nightmare.

Nightmare was capable of running fast for over ten hours a day. Having gotten used to this speed, I could no longer endure the slow pace of traveling with other adventurers.

Through the vast plains and into the forest, and then over the mountains beyond.

Nightmare dashed forward like a gust of wind following my will.

After taking minimal rest, I traveled for ten consecutive days and finally reached the castle known as Oblain, the capital of this country.

Coincidentally, I arrived during a religious event, as soft hymns flowed outside the castle.

Adventurers were humming along to the pleasant melody without even realizing it.

I led Nightmare toward the castle gates.

In front of it stood soldiers controlling entry, and their armor bore the symbol representing the Moon God Elune.

“What is your purpose?”

“Just sightseeing.”

“Do you have experience as an adventurer elsewhere?”

“Yes.”

The soldier nodded at my answer and pulled out a small note from his pocket.

“If you plan to act as an adventurer here, take that note to the Adventurer’s Guild. The country has recently formed a monster suppression unit, so you can earn some decent money from it.”

I nodded and took the note, and promptly received permission to enter.

Inside the castle, I walked in time with the flowing hymns.

I arrived at a very large plaza, and as expected, something special was happening here.

A massive crowd, likely consisting of most of the priests in the city, was singing, and on a small platform before them stood an elderly priest, opening a thick book while dispersing gentle light.

Interestingly, there were boys and girls standing in line right below the platform.

Each of them was wearing a sword.

What kind of event is this?

I approached a nearby resident watching the event and spoke to him.

“Excuse me.”

“Hmm?”

A man turned to look down at me.

He wore a small necklace, with the symbol representing the Moon God Elune hanging from it.

“What’s that event for?”

“Oh, you must be an adventurer. Did you just arrive today?”

“Yes.”

“Today marks the beginning of the Swordsmanship Tournament.”

“The Swordsmanship Tournament…?”

“Do you see the kids standing up front?”

“Yes.”

“They’re the ones participating.”

Nodding at the man’s answer, I felt lucky. If I hadn’t hurried over, I would have missed the spectacle that was the Swordsmanship Tournament.

I petted Nightmare’s mane while watching the event.

After the hymn ended, the following was the prayer recited by the elderly priest.

It was much more complex and lengthy than the prayer I heard from a female priest at the border.

Time passed by, and as the long prayer concluded, the priests who had filled the plaza began to leave.

And as if to fill the void, guards appeared and started setting up barriers.

It seemed they were about to commence the Swordsmanship Tournament right here.

As a serious atmosphere descended with a small ring forming, two boys stepped inside.

They faced each other, drawing their swords.

Before swinging their swords at each other, the two boys offered a brief prayer.

They were too far away, and their voices were too soft for me to hear the content of the prayer.

As soon as the prayer ended, both boys began to swing their swords at one another.

I found myself staring in awe.

Their postures preparing for downward strikes and the subsequent movements felt so familiar.

The swords of the boys glimmered with moonlight as they flew toward each other, shattering into pieces upon impact.

“Oh…”

“The kids participating this year are quite something.”

Voices from around began to fade away.

I frowned and focused on the boys’ movements.

As much as I wanted to get closer and scrutinize their techniques, the guards controlling access prevented me from doing so.

Clang!

The victor of the first match was decided.

Regardless of the outcome, both boys exchanged light smiles and shook hands before exiting the ring.

I found myself lost in thought.

The swordsmanship I had just witnessed from those two boys felt exceedingly familiar to me.

How could I ever forget the swordsmanship I learned in this world?

Though I had learned only two proper techniques.

Who could have imagined I would discover the origins of the gatekeeper right here?

I spoke to the man beside me again.

“Excuse me, Sir.”

“Hmm? Me? I’m not an old man.”

“How can I learn that swordsmanship?”

“Oh? Are you interested? Sorry, but it’s not something anyone can just pick up.”

“Then who can learn it?”

“It’s a swordsmanship taught to the Paladins serving the Moon God Elune, called Elune’s Radiance. Those kids will also become Paladins in the future. To learn it, you’d have to…”

I barely followed the man’s words as new boys began to step into the ring.

I fixed my eyes intently on the boys’ movements.

I wanted to imprint even a single motion into my head.

“Hey, miss. Are you listening to me?”

“I need to concentrate, so please don’t interrupt.”

“Hah, unbelievable…”

The moonlight playing at the tips of their swords was free. Sometimes it took the shape of a slender crescent moon, and at other times, it drew the expansive form of a full moon from below to above.

As time passed, and with more participants entering the ring, my head became increasingly cluttered.

The swordplay exhibited by the boys and girls was mostly similar, yet there were nuanced differences.

The balance of power, speed, and the timing of their strikes.

Everything was different.

What kind of method would be the right one? Whose movements should I follow to complete the swordsmanship known as Elune’s Radiance?

As the winner of the tournament was announced, everyone began genuinely congratulating him.

The hymn flowed out once again, and the winning boy was presented with a bouquet and a sword that looked quite luxurious.

The sword, shimmering with gentle moonlight, appeared incredibly valuable.

As the event concluded and people began to disperse, the soldiers enforcing the traffic control issued the order to dissolve the crowd, and I too had no choice but to leave.

I found a suitable inn and rented a room.

“Hah…”

My head was in turmoil.

The movements of dozens of boys and girls tangled, then vanished.

I frowned and drew my sword in the room.

Having obtained the swordsmanship practiced by ancient Dwarves, there was no real need for me to obsess over the technique of Elune’s Radiance.

Yet, my heart didn’t feel that way.

What formed the present me were those two unfinished techniques.

The downward strike that spread out like moonlight and the thrust that reclaimed falling moonlight and shot it forth.

Though I hadn’t learned the subsequent sword techniques, that wasn’t the case anymore.

Clumsy as it was, I had learned the movements to perform next from the Swordsmanship Tournament.

As my trembling sword slowly began to move, it soon expelled the gentle moonlight that flowed into the room, drawing a crescent moon.

My breath trembled. How could I not be overjoyed that what I had always longed for was now unfolding in my hands?

Yet that feeling soon shifted to disappointment.

Having just stolen the moves without proper instruction, my sword lacked power.

My breathing faltered, and the balance of power faltered, throwing my stance off.

“Hah…”

With a deep sigh, I looked out the window.

For some reason, I spotted a boy I found familiar walking down the street.

“Eh…!”

Fleeting memories quickly resurfaced. Since I had witnessed him just a few hours earlier, I was able to remember who he was.

The champion of the Swordsmanship Tournament.

As soon as that memory clicked into place, the boy vanished down a small alley.

Feeling anxious, I leaped out the window.

As I fell from the second floor, just before hitting the ground, a small gust of wind burst from beneath my feet, slowing my descent.

Thud!

A wrong landing caused my ankle to ache slightly.

However, it was not enough to prevent me from running.

I raced towards the alley where the boy had disappeared.