V7Ch1: My name is Nazono Senen! part 2

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Translator: Soafp

---

The air outside was cold, and the sun had begun to set.

Lalanoa and Nazono walked side by side through the streets, bathed in the red-orange glow of twilight.

“Ugh… I can't believe it… ten thousand zenny at a café…”

Lalanoa muttered apologetically.

“Don't worry about it. It's all that rip-off Mitsugoshi's fault. Forget that. Are you okay, though? They were saying all sorts of things back there…”

Nazono said, lightly checking the now-lighter weight of his wallet.

“I… I showed a rather embarrassing side of myself. But it's fine, I've gotten used to this sort of thing.”

“I see.”

“But you should know. Since I've dragged you into this… I am truly the daughter of Ainoa Hinoizumino, concubine of King Anorion. The problem arose because my mother spent several years wandering the human lands, and because my hair is black.”

“Right… elves of the royal family don't usually have black hair.”

“According to the records, yes. Generally, the closer one is to pure royal blood, the lighter the hair color tends to be. Of course, there are exceptions.”

“So they suspected that, during her wandering, human blood got mixed in, and that's why black-haired Lalanoa was born.”

“That was the claim of the conservative faction. At the time, King Anorion was actively pushing reforms, which caused frequent clashes with the conservatives. I think they sought to gain the upper hand by criticizing my hair color. But the issue spread far beyond what anyone expected.”

“Huh… so public opinion sided with them?”

“Yes. The idea of seeking purer royal blood—a kind of elitist ideology—is deeply rooted in our elven society. It's because that historic, noble blood commands respect and admiration.”

“I see, I see.”

“King Anorion tried to change this very mindset among the elves, but it was far too abrupt. It drew strong opposition from both inside and outside the kingdom, and at one point his position was in jeopardy. To suppress the backlash, my mother was made a concubine at the lowest rank, and my claim to the throne was significantly reduced.”

“I see…”

By now, they had walked to the outskirts of Kisanaga.

The streets were quiet, and if you listened closely, you could hear the rustling of trees.

Lalanoa stopped in front of a small flowerbed.

“By participating in the succession battle, we will be criticized. There may even be attempts to obstruct us.”

“Knowing that, why did you enter the succession battle?”

Lalanoa didn't answer. She simply crouched in front of the flowerbed and stared at something.

Nothing was blooming in the bed.

“This is where my mother died,” she finally whispered.

“The royal palace was never a comfortable place for my mother or me. We rented a small house on the outskirts of Kisanaga and lived quietly. Every year, large sunflowers would bloom in this flowerbed, and we looked forward to them. My mother went out early in the morning to tend the flowers… and there, she was stabbed by a fanatic of the pure-blood ideology and lost her life.”

“That's… heartbreaking.”

“The whole country celebrated. They called her a traitor, and assumed that if I died next, the bloodline would be purified. I was brought back to the palace. Even though my mother had died, everyone was smiling, happy. I will never forget that feeling.”

“That must have been so sad…”

At Nazono's words, Lalanoa shook her head.

“It wasn't sadness… it was hatred. Just pure, burning hatred that made me tremble. From that moment onward, I've waited… waited for the chance to avenge that hatred.”

“Hatred, huh…”

“To everyone who laughed at my mother's death. If I were to participate in the succession battle—and become king… it would be the ultimate form of revenge.”

Lalanoa spoke with a surprisingly serene, radiant smile.

“The ultimate revenge, huh…”

“Do you despise me for it?”

“That's fine. I don't dislike it.”

Nazono smiled gently.

“Are you sure? As my knight, you'll also be criticized. You might be treated horribly. Someone could even try to take your life…”

As Lalanoa said this, Nazono gazed into the distance, looking up at the sky.

“I'm used to having my life threatened… my hands are already stained with blood…”

“Huh? Nazono… you…”

Lalanoa was lost for words at the loneliness in his voice.

“Sorry. I spoke foolishly. It's just that I still feel haunted by ghosts of the past…”

“Nazono… don't worry. Painful pasts are something we share,” Lalanoa said, smiling.

She was still young and inexperienced, yet it was easy to sense the dark shadow over Nazono's past.

“Thank you. In the end, if I don't participate, I'll just end up back in prison. So, let's try it—this ultimate revenge.”

Nazono also smiled.

“Thank you, Nazono…”

Lalanoa wiped away the tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.

“So… what should I do? Just take everyone out in the succession battle?”

“Heh, even Beatrix-sama couldn't take everyone out,” Lalanoa said, laughing lightly at his joke before she spoke seriously.

“Don't worry. I have no intention of taking on the conservatives, reformists, and the king's brother faction all by ourselves. No matter how strong we are individually, the succession battle isn't so easy that sheer strength alone guarantees victory.”

“I see.”

“And we can't gather allies either.”

“Because we're… unpopular.”

“Exactly. Two people alone can't win, and we can't recruit allies.”

“So, we're completely cornered.”

“Hehe, but don't worry. I'm not foolish. I've prepared a special plan just for this day…!”

She puffed out her chest with confidence.

“After many long months, I devised the ultimate plan to win the succession battle: The Opportunist's Grand Strategy!”

Lalanoa beamed proudly.

“…Specifically?”

“We will avoid direct conflict with the Three Great Factions and focus on gathering powerful artifacts to strengthen our forces. Meanwhile, the factions will fight each other, gradually wearing themselves down. Once they are exhausted and vulnerable, we will launch a surprise attack, defeat them, and claim victory!”

“I see… that's the kind of plan anyone might think of.”

“Y-you're annoying”

“We're not the only minor players. They probably have similar ideas, and the Three Great Factions aren't fools—they'll prepare countermeasures. But… it's true there's no other choice.”

“That's right. Knowing all that, we still have no option but to go through with it.”

“Understood. Well… I suppose even a battlefield like this isn't so bad”

“Nazono… thank you. If you hadn't cooperated, I wouldn't even have been able to enter the succession battle.”

“No problem. A little detour isn't so bad. It's far more meaningful than visiting graves.”

“…I don't know what happened in your past, but you are my one and only knight. I'm counting on you,” Lalanoa said, bowing in a noble gesture.

“And I on you. So I suppose that makes you my one and only master, huh?”

“Hehe… yes. Then I have one request as your master,” Lalanoa said with a mischievous smile.

“What is it, my lady?”

“I want to know your true strength.”

Lalanoa's eyes shone with serious determination.

“…Oh?”

“I know there are reasons you hide your abilities. Surely something from your past is behind it.”

“…You saw through me, huh.”

“Just a hunch. But I feel that deep within you lies something dark and cold.”

“…I see.”

“Show me your true strength. It's necessary if we are to win the succession battle.”

“…Shall we change the location? It's a bit too bright here to properly show you my sword.”

Saying this, Nazono turned and began to walk away. Lalanoa swallowed hard and followed after him.

---

Nazono stopped deep within the Kisanaga Forest.

“This should be far enough. Come at me from wherever you like.” he said, glancing back. He hadn't even drawn his sword.

“U-um… you mean I'm supposed to strike at you, Nazono?”

“Of course. And for real.”

“But I only have a real sword with me.”

“That's fine. Your sword won't hit me.”

Those words irked Lalanoa slightly.

“I take pride in being among the best of my age group. I even won a swordsmanship tournament for those under twelve!”

“So?”

“…Don't say I didn't warn you if you get hurt.”

With that, Lalanoa drew her sword and stepped forward.

Nazono was the one who had shattered Ryu's sword—he was no ordinary opponent. She didn't expect to win easily.

But she didn't think her sword would be completely useless either. Even if she couldn't win, she could at least inflict some damage—that was her thought.

“…Eh?”

Lalanoa muttered in disbelief. Nazono wasn't where she had stepped. He had vanished in an instant.

“I didn't move that fast.”

“──!”

Lalanoa spun around and swung her sword.

But there was no sword in her hand.

“…No way.”

“Is this what you were looking for?”

Nazono held Lalanoa's sword in his hand.

“When… when did you…!”

“Here I go.”

Nazono assumed his stance.

At that instant, Lalanoa saw “death.” She instinctively understood that she was within his range, and that he could kill her at any moment. There was no escape.

No matter where she ran or what she did, her death was inevitable.

“…Ah… ahh…”

The inescapable death was right there. Nazono's sword was shrouded in it. Lalanoa felt her legs go weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.

“…Shall we stop here?”

At that moment, Nazono withdrew his sword. Instantly, the oppressive weight vanished, and Lalanoa felt light again.

“W-what… was that just now?”

“You saw death in my sword. And you had no way to avoid it. That is the answer.”

She didn't fully understand what he meant, but given the difference in their skill, it was natural she couldn't.

“I never imagined… you were this strong…! With a skill like this, how could you have kept it hidden all this time…”

“That's something I cannot tell. At least, not yet…”

Nazono lowered his gaze, sadness lingering in his eyes.

Seeing him like that tightened Lalanoa's chest with emotion.

“…Someday… when the time comes, will you tell me?”

“When the time comes… I promise.”

At that moment, it felt as if Nazono would vanish without another word.

“It's a promise.” Lalanoa said, shaking her head to refocus, then bowed toward him.

“Nazono, please make me your disciple!”

“…Eh?”

Nazono was stunned by her sudden declaration.

“I've only ever had proper sword training when I was very young.”

“Then… how have you been managing until now?”

“I learned by secretly watching other elves train, reading books, and practicing on my own.”

“For someone self-taught, that's an impressive sword.”

Nazono said, nodding repeatedly, clearly sincere.

“I've never learned swordsmanship from a proper master. I want to learn correctly, to become far stronger before the succession battle! So please, Nazono, make me your disciple!”

“Wait… even if you say that…”

“I still lack strength! This is necessary to win the succession battle! So please, Nazono, I beg you!”

Lalanoa clung to Nazono, repeating over and over, “Please, please, I beg you!”

“Lalanoa, I understand how you feel”

“…Nazono!!”

“Wait, that doesn't mean I've decided to teach you.”

“Is there some problem?”

Lalanoa asked. Nazono's expression grew serious.

“My sword is a bloodstained sword, a sword meant to kill. It's not suitable for you…”

He said this with a sad look. Lalanoa's chest ached at the sight, but she didn't look away and spoke firmly.

“Don't underestimate me! You are my knight, and I am your master! If your hands are soaked in blood, then mine will be too!”

“Lalanoa…”

“What is suitable or not, I will decide for myself. So please, teach me the sword,” Lalanoa pleaded, her eyes full of determination.

“Entrusting it to someone isn't a bad idea… but the training will be harsh.”

“I am ready for it”

The two shook hands firmly.

“To think I'd end up taking a disciple. Training starts tomorrow. Is that alright?”

“I understand. Regarding our schedule: we'll formally register in the capital where the succession battle will take place. The entry deadline is in five days.”

“So we'll need to move to the capital by then.”

“Yes, I plan to depart tomorrow morning. Is that alright with you, Nazono?”

“Understood. It's already getting dark. Let's rest at the inn and prepare for tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

“Then, see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, see you.”

Saying that, Nazono turned on his heel and began walking. Lalanoa followed closely behind him.

Nazono stopped in front of the inn and turned around.

“Why are you following me?”

“Because I haven't arranged for lodging.”

Lalanoa said while looking embarrassed.

“Then should we share the same inn? There should be rooms available…”

“Let me put it another way. I don't have money to stay at an inn.”

“…Meaning?”

“I'd like to share a room with you, Nazono. Please.”

“Even if you ask nicely…”

In the end, they booked two rooms using Nazono's money.

---

The long-awaited morning had finally come for Lalanoa.

She could hardly contain her excitement for her first training session as Nazono's disciple. Last night, thanks to Nazono's money, she had a nourishing dinner, enjoyed a long-awaited bath, and slept soundly in a soft, comfortable bed.

Thanks to that, Lalanoa now looked radiant and healthy, a completely different girl from the day before.

She changed into clothes suited for movement, grabbed her sword, and headed deep into the forest where the morning sunlight filtered through the trees.

This was the place Nazono had designated the night before. He had told her that his sword was a one-lineage assassination blade, passed down for nine thousand years. Its techniques were a closely guarded secret, never to be stolen or revealed. That was why training had to take place in the secluded depths of the forest.

The thought that she would be taught such a historically significant sword made Lalanoa's heart tremble with excitement.

“Thank you, Nazono,” she said, addressing his back as he sat in meditation in the forest.

“To think you would teach me, Lalanoa, the secret techniques of a blade passed down through a single lineage… how could I ever express my gratitude?”

Nazono's presence shifted, and he turned toward her.

“This must also be fate…” he said quietly.

“But if you teach me a blade passed down through a single lineage, won't you be punished?”

Nazono narrowed his eyes and looked off into the distance.

“There's no one left to punish me.”

“…Huh?”

“All the others in my clan are dead. I am the last survivor… so it's perfect timing.”

“You… are the last of your clan…”

Lalanoa felt a shadow in Nazono, a darkness deep in his eyes, and she sensed just a glimpse of it.

“May I ask… how did your clan die?”

“…They were killed.”

Nazono's answer was brief.

“By… whom?”

“…The Diabolos Cult.”

“I've never heard of them… So, the reason you wandered the outside world was to take revenge on this Diabolos Cult?”

“That's right… but let's not talk about it anymore.”

“But…!”

“Lalanoa, this is an order from your master. No matter what happens, do not seek out the Diabolos Cult.”

Nazono fixed her with a serious gaze.

“Wh… why?”

“The darkness of this world is astonishingly deep. Even I cannot see its bottom…”

The side of Nazono's face twisted with sorrow as he spoke.

“But my master's enemies… no, your enemies are also my enemies! If your revenge remains unfinished, I want to help someday! I will never forget the debt I owe you!”

“Lalanoa… no, my disciple. Forget this. A master who drags their disciple into their own revenge is the lowest of men.”

“Master! But I…”

Nazono cut her off, drawing his sword and assuming a stance. Lalanoa swallowed at the sheer intensity of his presence.

“If the day ever comes when your sword can reach me… I will tell you everything then.”

His voice was calm, but his eyes told her that such a day would never come.

“Please, never forget those words,” Lalanoa said, drawing her sword and taking her stance. Her heart burned with the determination to reach him.

Nazono merely smiled, a little sadly…

“In this world, I am now the only one left to wield this sword… If this blade is doomed to vanish, then perhaps it is fate to entrust the future to the Hinoizumino.”

He performed a graceful bow, then continued,

“Now, the training begins. The sword I will teach you is a blood-soaked assassination blade. Without full resolve, you may lose your life—so do not die, Lalanoa.”

---

After a lot of things, I ended up teaching Lalanoa how to use a sword.

It was perfect timing—I had also wanted to try being a master myself. I fully embraced the setup: presenting myself as the last inheritor of a one-lineage assassination sword, my entire clan having been wiped out. Revenge would, of course, be against the Diabolos Cult. Reusing a good setting is important.

So, for the past three days, I've been training Lalanoa… and this girl's potential is quite impressive.

“Lalanoa, feel the flow of mana. Sense it moving all the way to the tips of your capillaries, every single fiber of your muscles…”

“Yes, Master!”

While standing under the waterfall, Lalanoa molded her mana, and I continued giving instructions. She just stood there, looking cold but resolute.

By the way, there's no real reason for the waterfall—it's just that when it comes to training, a waterfall looks right, so I went out of my way to find one.

A disciple under the waterfall, a master watching over her… this is proper training, after all. I nodded in satisfaction.

“My mind feels disturbed by the waterfall… but if I focus, it sharpens me instead… I can feel every drop of water, every splash… Now, I finally understand the meaning of this training!”

“Hah, seems you've finally grasped the purpose of training…”

With her pace, teaching her one thing led her to understand ten things on her own. This is the potential of an elven royal.

And since elves live for hundreds of years, it's terrifying. Wait, do any centuries-old royals even show up in the succession battle? I remember Lalanoa calling elves monsters… hmm.

“This sensation… it's similar… yes, mana is like water! Flowing through the body like water, dissipating into mist once outside the body!”

“You… finally realized it… that's exactly what I wanted to teach.”

If Alpha was the theoretical type, Zeta combined theory and instinct, and Lalanoa was completely instinctive.

“Oh, then what would happen if we froze mana?”

“Mana isn't frozen; it changes form when compressed. It behaves differently from water or ice. I was planning to teach that in the next lesson…”

“I'm curious! Please teach me now!”

“…Very well.”

I gathered mana into the palm of my hand and made it visible.

“This is raw mana.”

“To concentrate this much mana outside your body and maintain it without dispersing… that's incredible!”

“When you compress it further…”

“Wh-what density is this!?”

Lalanoa's eyes were glued to the mana.

“When mana is compressed, its density increases, giving it far greater power. If you compress it even further…”

I pushed the compression almost to my limit. The air trembled, plasma streaked through it.

“Wh-what is this… mana? I've never seen or even heard of anything like this…”

“When compressed to its limit, mana changes form… this is all I can do right now.”

I compressed the mana to the limit of my control and then dissipated it. This was a secret I hadn't even shown to Alpha or the others yet.

“Beyond this lies the pinnacle of mana control.”

“The pinnacle of mana control…!? This is the ultimate secret of the one-lineage assassination sword!”

Lalanoa swallowed hard.

The plan to show my mastery as her master early on had succeeded.

At this rate, training will continue all the way to the royal capital.