That's why I've decided that the person Al is looking for is the same person as the crimson wizard, Flick. What do you think? Do you think Al is the person that Flik is looking for?


　Lloyd's question left me with a confused head as I mouthed the answer.


I don't know. But from the information I've been given at this point in time, it's possible that it's the Fihn I was looking for--

Hey!　Al!


　Meira suddenly tugged hard on the sleeve of my dress.


'What?　Meira?　I'm having a very important conversation with you right now!


　I was in a hurry when I came in contact with Fynn's information, so I turned around and spoke to Meira in the same tone as usual.

　Seeing this, Meira's face turns blue.


''Al~''


　I could tell by the tearful look on Meira's face that she finally realized what I was up to.


　Sheesh!　As usual, I said it was me.

　I forgot that the frontier counters were wondering who I was.

　This is not good: ...... How will I fool myself: ......


　I'm sure you'll be able to see that he's halfway through the process of figuring out who we are, and he's holding back a laugh.


You're not very good at lying, Al. You'd better be grateful to Meira for that.

"Dear Mr. Count of the Frontier: ......


　I opened my mouth to disguise my identity, but Lloyd restrained me with his hand.


"There's no need to fool me. I know who you are. You have changed your hair color, hair style, gender, and even your swordsmanship, but you are the third Sword Saint of the Hertford Kingdom, Alfine Walford-dono, right?


　Roland, who was standing next to Lloyd, was holding his hands together for me and apologizing.

　He was the only one besides me and Meira who knew what Al looked like before he became what he is now.


'Well, don't blame Roland,' he said. He was a great friend of mine, a nobleman who served me well as the heir to my wife's family. And I have no desire to antagonize Lord Alfine. In fact, I'd like you to help me stop the ambitions of Giles and House Radcliffe.


　Lloyd stepped forward and took my hand in his.

　The palm of his hand was craggy with calluses that seemed to have been made from sword practice, impressing me with the fact that he had risen to this position with a single sword, unlike the nobles of King's Landing.

　I was at a loss for a reply, so I looked to Meira for help.

　However, Meira just shook her head and said nothing.


　So there's no more way to deceive: .......

　As long as Gile was in the dark, though, I didn't want his identity as Alfine to be exposed.

　I also owe Lloyd a debt of gratitude for providing me with information about Fynn: .......

　And we have a common enemy in the Radcliffe family.


　I was trying my best to understand the situation and wondered whether or not I should take Lloyd's offer.


I don't have to admit my identity. I trust Al the adventurer more than Alfina, the Swordsman. I don't care about the past.


　Lloyd grinned and lightly tapped me on the shoulder.

　I already gave up my position as the Swordsman Alfine, so I felt good about Lloyd for trusting the adventurer named Al.


''Thank you. Now, may I help you as a mere adventurer, Al?

Very well. I know all of us here are very discreet, but this matter must be kept to ourselves.


　Lloyd allowed me to do so without giving me the quality of being Alfine.

　Already, in my mind, the only value of the name "Alfine" was to apologize to Fynn, who had become a flick, for his past behavior.

　Once that was properly done, I had no intention of taking that name again.


I'd appreciate it if you did. I'm just going to live my life as Al, the adventurer.

Yeah, that's fine. And I've got some interesting information coming from King's Landing.

"Interesting information?

As a matter of fact, Mr. Alfine, the Swordsman, was executed for attempting to assassinate the Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, Gilead. He is hanging himself at the gates of King's Landing.


　Well, I don't know what you mean.

　I'm still alive and I'm in the Yggkhanotes, so why?


I have to tell you about it. The fact that he escaped with the Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, Gilead, who was in love with the young lady, and came to the Yuguhanotes to look for his girlfriend, Feen, caused the impatient Gilead bastard to muddle his mind about the absence of the Swordsman by pretending that the Swordsman, Alfine, was very ill and was recuperating at his other home.


　I had a puzzled look on my face as Roland explained the situation to me.


It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to find a way to make a lot of noise in the city while you're on your way to the Yugu Hanotes.


　Meira had also been collecting rumors from the residents of the city where we stopped on our way from King's Landing to Ygghanotes, and she was surprised that I hadn't been mentioned in the rumors.


　I wouldn't be making a big deal out of it if I was sick and recovering from a major illness.

　Before that, I was on a long leave of absence to deal with Fynn.

　Giles thought it was only a matter of time before he caught me, so he told the king that I was taking a sick leave.


You're right, no one cared about it at first, as you said, but after a long period of time, the king became suspicious. The king was getting suspicious. But you were working as an adventurer over here, you know. I'm sure you'll be able to find it, and when you couldn't find it, Giles framed his double as an assassin and executed him as the Swordsman Alfina.


　The grin on Gilead's face appeared in my mind as he listened to Roland's story.


　The guy from Gilead ...... involved people who had nothing to do with him and then killed him.

　You should have cut off his head then and there.


　I was angry at Gilead's selfish act, and I clenched my fists.


"I should have cut off Giles' head. ......

I'm sorry for the woman who died in Lord Alfine's place, but thanks to her, the king's trust in Gyre is slipping away from him. The son of Vizier Boris, son of the Vizier and Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, must be used as a point of reference to expose the wickedness of the Radcliffe family. The incident with the mine and Abyss Falls gives me the feeling that the Radcliffe family is planning a second major attack. I must do everything in my power to prevent that from happening. And that is why we must do everything in our power to stop them, even if it means engaging in the kind of power struggle I loathe.


　Lloyd was quiet, too, but he was showing his anger and determination to expose the Radcliffe family's wrongdoing.


'And he also wants Al to remain Al, to expose Jair's lies. I've abandoned my name, appearance, status and sword type, but Al's body is imbued with the swordsmanship of the Sword Saint Alfine. I know very well that swordsmanship that has been ingrained in your body cannot be easily removed. And the swordsmanship of Swordsman Alfine is my own unique style of swordsmanship. This is the only way to prove that he is the only one who can use it.


　The One and Only Sword Art .......

　Yes, I've been practicing on my own, except for a few sword kata in the village where I was taught a little sword kata.

　Wasn't that something anyone could normally do?

　Because, you see, even Fynn could use it, though not as well as I could.


　I was aware that my swordsmanship was my own style, but I was surprised when Lloyd told me that I couldn't use it on anyone else.


'Is that so?　I thought my swordsmanship was pretty normal.

"...... The two swordsmanship you use as Al is a very peculiar style for ordinary people, and Alfine's swordsmanship that I learned from her when I went to King's Landing was too original for me.

I thought anyone could do it.

Geniuses sometimes seem to overestimate ordinary people. "Geniuses sometimes seem to overestimate the importance of ordinary people's swordsmanship. Of course, I'm also an ordinary man, so I can't control your swordsmanship.


　Even Lloyd, the "Heroic" swordsman, couldn't use my swordsmanship.

　In my opinion, Fynn is in every way capable of handling the swordsmanship I taught him.

　I'm afraid I underestimated the importance of his skills.


　It's no wonder that Feen's reputation grew once he started taking commissions, solo and with others, instead of working with me.


I owe Flick a proper apology: ....... Mr. frontier count, I would like to go to Inverness once again to see Flick and his friends.

'I knew you would say that. I've cleaned up the Knights of the Kingsguard in Jughannots, but there may still be some of the Radcliffe family's breathing down our necks. I think it's best to keep your most valuable possessions in their bosom so they won't find them, so go to Inverness and meet with Flick.

'Yes, sir!　Thank you!　Then I'll be right out!

Hey, hey, hey, Al!　Wait!

Meira, hurry up!


　As I was leaving my room to get ready to leave for Inverness in a hurry, Maribel, who had been silent until then, spoke up.


Maribel, who had been silent until then, opened her mouth. Maribel will go with you!　I have to repay you for saving my father. Father, I can go with you, right?

　Maribel glanced at her father's face as he suddenly started to say something out of the blue.

'Oh, go, Maribel, if it's your choice. I'll be right here waiting for you.

Yes, Father always said that if I could help you, I'd make sure I returned the favor!　I'm off.


　After telling her father that, Maribel withdrew her hand from me and Meira.


''Since that's the case, I'll take care of you both.

"It's not good for you to say hello to me, but I don't know if ...... is safe, or if it's ...... hey, Meira said hello to me too--

Maribel-tan, you're a liar!　I'll work my ass off!


　When she tried to refuse to accompany Maribel, Meira hugged her and wouldn't leave her.

　The people in the parlor who were watching the situation were laughing.

　I was unable to refuse to go with Maribel because of the atmosphere.


　After that, we hurriedly finished our preparations for the trip and decided to head to the village of Devon, where we last met with Flick and his friends.