Side Story - Side Braver 4
With the help of Aina-sama, I was able to obtain the 'Holy Sword' that had been sealed deep within the temple.
As I gripped the Holy Sword, which was embedded in the pedestal, the mark on the back of my right hand began to glow with a warm light. I was engulfed in a sensation akin to fever, and almost unconsciously, I pulled the sword out from the pedestal.
And then, a woman's voice reached my ears.
'Nice to meet you... Brave of this era.'
The voice came from none other than the Holy Sword itself.
──The Holy Sword Leiva── It was a sword that had the will to speak. The name Leiva, too, was spoken by 'the sword herself', as I put it out.
The Holy Sword, known as Leiva, serves as both the weapon of the Brave and a means to determine one's worthiness to become a Brave.
"Can I consider myself recognized as a Brave?"
'Let me assure you, as the Holy Sword, that you have been chosen by the God.'
"I see. My name is Relix. Nice to meet you."
'Nice to meet you too, my master, Relix.'
With the Holy Sword Leiva in my possession, we returned to the royal capital.
Upon our arrival in the royal capital, we were greeted by a grand parade. It was a celebration of my recognition as a Brave.
Just before reaching the royal capital, we were transported to a luxurious carriage with a canopy, specially prepared for the ceremony, from our regular travel carriage. I also changed our attire from armor to formal clothing. Aina-sama also changed her functional clothes to a magnificent dress for the ceremony.
A scabbard was also prepared to hold the Holy Sword (Leiva). Unfortunately, the temple had the Holy Sword but no scabbard. Until now, it had been wrapped in a random cloth.
"Look, this is the scabbard."
When I changed carriages, an old man with a full beard handed me the scabbard. He seemed to be an excellent blacksmith who competed for the top two positions in the royal capital. Indeed, it was beautiful enough to be worthy of holding the Holy Sword.
──To be honest, his craftsmanship is so impressive that I can't imagine it from the old man with bushy beard.
"I made it based on the shape left in the documents, but since this is the first time I've seen a Holy Sword, please try putting the sword in and checking."
As prompted by the old man, I placed the Holy Sword in the scabbard he had given me.
'Hmm. It may not compare to my creator's skills, but as a human, it's quite impressive."
The Holy Sword (Leiva), scabbarded in her scabbard, whispered to me in a voice only I could hear. She seems to be content (?) with her scabbard.
After a brief discussion, the parade began.
However, my role is not very demanding. I just have to ride in a carriage without a canopy and smile and wave at the people in the city. Then, when we reach the heart of the city where people gather the most, I just need to draw the Holy Sword and show its presence.
The front gate of the royal capital opened, and the carriage I was in entered the city.
The crowd that awaited us greeted us with a thunderous applause. Confetti filled the air, music played, and the parade began.
"Brave-sama, please wave your hand."
Aina-sama softly whispered to me, with a smile directed at the people. Following her words, I managed to force a smile and waved my hand awkwardly. Most likely, my face is contorted in a rather exaggerated manner right now.
'In any era, the idea of using "Brave" as a tool for politics remains unchanged among the royal family. However, it is not a mistake to consider some constraints in order to smoothly advance future activities and gain the support of those in power.'
I lightly tapped my head in response to Leiva's matter-of-fact manner of speaking. Although we had only recently met, I could tell that she had a very serious personality.
As the parade continued, I finally got used to smiling at people, and by chance, I spotted a familiar face.
It was Yukina.
He was walking with his hands full of food he must have bought at a street stall. When he briefly glanced in my direction, he quickly looked away as if he had lost interest.
There were many people walking down the street without looking at the parade. However, to me, it seemed like Yukina was not genuinely interested in what "Brave" had to offer.
──As usual, nothing has changed.
Even if Yukina wasn't interested in me, I became interested in Yukina. Specifically, it was the long, slender object on his back── a single spear── that caught my eye.
In the village, while everyone else preferred to use swords, Yukina liked using a spear. However, the one he was carrying now was completely different from the one he used in the village. I wondered if he bought it in the royal capital while I was at the temple.
'──That's...?'
"Leiva?"
'...No, it's nothing, Master.'
I tilted my head at Leiva, who seemed more unsettled than I'd ever seen her before, but in the midst of this, Yukina's figure disappeared into the crowd.
Once the parade is over and things have calmed down a bit, I want to talk to him.
Actually, the old man who made the scabbard for the Holy Sword is the same person who sold Yukina the spear (Gram).
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