~Chapter 5~

“Alright.”

I tilted my head, but I didn’t argue further and picked up the tray. The Lady spoke firmly.

“……”

If the Lady didn’t want to eat, then I’d just have to sell it off, I thought cheerfully.

After neatly slicing off the last piece of melon skin, I carried the tray of rinds away. She wasn’t the type to snap at people just because she was ill, but still, I worried.

‘Is Grandma really that unwell?’

Actually, since meeting me, she had become healthier. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits every day would make anyone healthier.

And this land had far too much meat consumption to begin with.

‘I should bring her some fresh vegetables tomorrow.’

A wrap of crisp greens with steaming meat—surely that would cure her headache like magic. With that thought, I returned home with light steps.

✦ ✦ ✦

When I got home, it was chaos.

What kind of chaos, you ask?

The kind where a person is forced to soothe the fragile feelings of an inanimate object.

“Louis, Louis~ Why are you so upset? Hm? Please forgive me.”

—How dare you use another blade and then shamelessly try to face me?

If anyone heard that, they’d think I’d been cheating on him.

‘For goodness’ sake, I was just slicing melon. Who uses a giant sword to peel fruit anyway? You’d lose your thumb in an instant.’

Still, ignoring him would only make things worse. With a sigh, I tried to calm him down.

“Hey, Louis, Louis. The most wonderful Louis in the world. So sharp you could split the heavens.”

—…Keep going.

Oh, this sword. I wanted to smack him by the hilt.

‘Why do I have to flatter a piece of metal?’

But since I had already invested time, I couldn’t quit now. I took a deep breath and continued.

“Next time, I’ll make sure to carry you on my side too. I’ll show you off as the coolest sword ever. So don’t sulk, okay?”

—Hmph. You promise?

“Of course. And besides, you know weapons aren’t allowed in front of the Lady. Wouldn’t you be more upset if you were left lying on the floor or shoved into a guard’s hands?”

—No human dares treat me that way!

Here we go again. He was back in his Louis XIV mode.

“Yes, yes, of course.”

I tapped his blade gently with my finger. Why did it feel like patting a spoiled child’s bottom?

—Ahem. Ahem.

It was because of his ridiculously lifelike voice.

‘Seriously, he feels more alive than some people. Can a sword really hold this much of a soul?’

Louis Garbon Bonthiar III—sometimes spouting absurd lines—was no ordinary sword.

He could talk, change forms, fly around, even glow like a lamp.

‘Actually, he’s been useful as a nightlight. He shines so brightly at night.’

When I asked why, his reply was so dramatic it made my skin crawl.

—The hand of God never falters, not even while humans sleep.

Ugh. If only the one saying this didn’t sound like a second-rate chuunibyou theater actor!

‘Still, it fits my quiet life. Nights here are so dark, after all.’

In this world, whale oil was used to light the streets. And the thought of whales being hunted just for that made me uneasy.

‘If only I were an engineer! I could invent gas lamps or electricity!’

But I knew myself. At best, I’d get stuck making direct current and then be overshadowed by the “Teslas” of this world.

‘Farming suits me best.’

Glancing at Louis again, I felt a pang of regret.

‘Wouldn’t it be nice if you could turn into a hoe? That shiny white metal would make such a pretty one.’

—W-What’s with that shady look in your eyes!

Shady? This sword really had no filter.

“Anyway, the Lady said something strange today.”

—What strange thing?

“She said the territory is unusually abundant. Animals are having more babies, crops and fruits are overflowing. Isn’t that curious?”

Farming always depended on the weather. That’s why they say you only harvest what the sky gives you.

‘But she’s right. The weather this year is too good.’

At this rate, autumn would bring a huge harvest. Which sounded nice… except too much meant lower prices. Labor costs wouldn’t change.

‘I’ll need to find new markets.’

As I was thinking like a businesswoman again, Louis suddenly zipped in front of my face.

—That’s all thanks to my blessing!

“What?”

What had he done, exactly? Apart from floating around my room when he was bored.

‘He couldn’t even sing a lullaby.’

Since he never slept, he was noisy at night. I once told him to sing me to sleep, but oh, how I regretted that.

Whether it was my fault for asking or his for being terrible, I still hadn’t decided.

Anyway, Louis’s bragging was endless.

—I was forged by Lord Boneracol himself! Wherever I rest, livestock flourish and crops thrive. It is the law of nature!

“Bonerawhat?”

—Boneracol! Bo. Ne. Ra. Col!!!

“Bonera-lalala~”

Still didn’t get that I was teasing him.

“Aww, so cute.”

—Cute?! I am elegant, strong, unmatched in this world!

“Yes, yes, of course~”

—Stop it! …Though it does feel nice.

See? He melted like butter whenever I teased him.

—That’s why I said I am the nation. Where there is food, there are people. Where there are people, a country is born. That’s why civilizations always began in fertile lands.

“Oh, Louis even knows big words.”

—Don’t treat me like I’m an eight-year-old!

But to me, he was just like a baby.

So I smiled and let him rant. From experience, interrupting him meant hours of endless nagging.

And that was where I made my fatal mistake. I shouldn’t have brushed off his words.

The next day, the first day of the month of the swallow violets.

Our home received an unexpected guest.

“Is anyone here?”

“…Who is it?”

I had just put on my straw hat and gloves to inspect the fields when someone knocked.

Peeking through the scope, I saw several sturdy young men outside.

‘Who could they be?!’

In four years here, I’d never faced something like this.

‘If anything happens, I’ll need a weapon…’

Oh right. I actually had one.

“Louis.”

—What is it?

“The men outside seem suspicious.”

—Hehehe, at last! Time for me to unleash my true power! I’ll turn this doorway into a river of bloo—

“Don’t you dare! Who’s cleaning that mess up?!”

Bloodstains are a nightmare to scrub. Not to mention property value drops.

And honestly, I couldn’t even imagine this flashy sword actually cutting someone. He’d probably just snap in half.

“You stay still until I swing you. Got it?”

—As expected of my master! Yes, bravery is fitting for the one chosen by Louis Garbon Bonthiar III!

‘Who said anything about bravery?’

I wasn’t timid, but I wasn’t exactly bold either.

‘All I really want is to snack on chips in bed while scrolling my phone.’

Come to think of it, I’d been living far too diligently here.

Still grumbling in my head, I opened the door.

“Who’s—”

The word “there” never left my throat.

Because the man standing outside was breathtaking.

‘Holy… wow.’

Golden hair glittered like sunlight itself. His pale face and cold blue eyes captured me instantly.

‘Where does someone this handsome even come from…?’

I was so entranced that Louis buzzed angrily in my arms.

—Snap out of it, Master! You’re not swayed by appearances!

Oh please. I picked you up because you looked like a hoe. Of course I’m swayed by appearances.

And this man’s beauty was so dazzling, even a giant stone face would crumble like sand.

As I gawked at him, his lips parted elegantly.

“You thieving cat.”

So graceful… until he opened his mouth.

I blinked dumbly.

“Don’t you mean your baby kitten?”

“……”

This time, it was his turn to be speechless.