I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

No.000

《Bard of the Ancients’ Notebook》

【Item Description】

A worn and weathered notebook containing records of all past adventures.

━ A relic used by the Bard of the Ancients to reshape the world into his utopia.

This notebook holds power strong enough to bring about world transformation, but its power has nearly vanished with the death of its original owner.

However, with a suitable price, it might grant one wish…?

[Durability 2/100]

Back when Zeke was a hardcore gamer on Earth, unable to even fathom the concept of possession or summoning.

This was the notebook he acquired after defeating the true final boss, the ‘Bard of the Ancients.’

Except for Zeke, who cleared the game for the first time, no one else had ever obtained this item. No one knew what easter eggs it held or how to utilize them.

Absolutely nothing was known about this item.

The only thing it did was play a grand background track through the speakers and show an ending credit sequence with various CGs, recounting his journey when the [Use] button was clicked.

He watched the entire sequence with sentimental eyes, feeling like the game acknowledged his struggles.

After the entire story concluded.

A space appeared at the very end, allowing him to write a single sentence.

“What’s this…? Ah, is this like a Hall of Fame system…?”

Ever since he started this game, he’d been so engrossed in the dark fantasy world, playing for over 12 hours a day with the sole goal of seeing it through.

However, he used to play other games quite a bit before this one came out, so this system was quite familiar to him.

‘Yeah, after clearing such a ridiculously difficult game! It’d be a total crap game if they didn’t even let me put my name down! …Well, it is a crap game anyway.’

The title of ‘first’ is always sweet for a gamer, no matter when or where.

At first, he excitedly typed in his nickname, ‘Zeke Clayman.’

But he quickly erased it and, feeling mischievous, wrote ‘Secret.’

“Hmm, the name of the first person to clear the game should remain a mystery.”

And right after that. The screen flashed white, and he was summoned into the game world.

There was a reason why Zeke was reminiscing about this ancient memory he could barely recall now…

“If you’re a knight whose name is engraved in the Hall of Fame of the North, then face me with your sword like a true knight!”

“Why should I?”

Knights with the same black hair and black eyes as Zeke were trembling with rage, their necks bulging.

They looked as if they’d pounce on him and tear him to shreds any second, but there was a reason why they couldn’t attack him.

“You bastard! Remove your hand from Lady Lily this instant!!!”

The middle-aged man, who appeared to be the Knight Commander, shouted.

A long, thick scar etched horizontally across his face made quite the impression.

“Right now? To me? Did you just call me a bastard?”

Swoosh—

Zeke tilted his head slightly and pressed the blade he was holding against the sleeping Saintess’s throat.

The cold blade touched her delicate, white neck.

Her slender neck looked so fragile that it seemed like it would sever with the slightest bit of force.

Zeke was currently holding the Saintess hostage, engaging in a one-man standoff.

The Black Wolf Knights’ faces turned pale, and they could only flinch, unable to do anything.

Their tightly pursed lips and wide eyes clearly showed how enraged they were by the current situation.

They could already guess from the remaining traces and the sounds of battle that his skills were extraordinary.

However, to think he would use such skills for such a despicable and shameless act!

Judging from his jet-black hair and eyes, they assumed he was a swordsman from the North, just like them.

Since those who wielded swords in the North valued honor above life itself, they were unsure how to handle this situation.

“Grrk! N-No! I-I was wrong…! Please, p-please remove that dangerous object from Lady Lillie’s divine body!”

“Remove it? And that’s no way to speak to your superior.”

Zeke’s head tilted again.

“…Just what do you want?! Tell me anything!!!”

“You? Want?”

Swoosh—

Once again, Zeke’s sword moved closer to the Saintess’s neck.

“N-No…! Please, s-speak your mind… noble sir!”

The Knight Commander had no choice but to swallow his pride and address the man who was holding the unconscious princess hostage with respect, even though he wanted nothing more than to rip him apart.

If anything were to happen to Lady Lillie here, it wouldn’t end with just his head!

Even if that weren’t the case, he had to save that kind and precious treasure of the North no matter what.

“First, put down your weapons and kneel. You’re not in any position to talk yet.”

“!”

The Black Wolf Knights’ eyes widened.

For those who dedicated their lives to the sword and pursued honor all their lives, being told to lay down their weapons and kneel without even a single swing of the sword was a demand more humiliating than death itself.

The Knight Commander’s trembling eyes turned towards the Saintess.

He looked at Zeke with a subdued expression, then slowly closed his eyes.

Thud.

The weapon at the Knight Commander’s waist was unfastened and fell to the ground.

And then, *thump*.

He knelt.

“““C-Commander!”””

The other knights called out to him, but the Knight Commander only shook his head with a solemn face.

“If you are knights, do not mistake what you must truly protect.”

“Ah…”

Thud.

Thump.

Thump.

One by one, they began to kneel.

They cast aside their pride for something more important.

Though their bodies were bowed, the emotions they couldn’t hide were etched on their faces.

‘Oh, these guys are pretty decent…?’

Nod.

Zeke nodded with a satisfied look.

“Good, now we’re in a position to talk.”

The reason Zeke had taken this approach was that he didn’t want to fight.

No matter how weak his body was or how depleted his mana was, there was no way he couldn’t handle these guys.

However, Zeke had no desire to cross swords at this moment.

After all, the madness and bloodlust that had plagued him for so long, the one that had almost exploded while fighting the Demon King just a moment ago…

Thanks to Soi’s ability, that mental trauma had vanished without a trace.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this refreshed, and he was savoring this exhilarating sensation every second.

‘Getting into a sword fight in this state is the last thing I want…’

It was a bit ironic that his alternative was to hold someone hostage…

Zeke had already gauged their personalities with a glance.

These weren’t the type to talk things out; they were the type to let their swords do the talking.

Even if he tried to explain it was a misunderstanding, they would just tell him to speak with his sword and attack. Simple-minded fools.

‘Can’t be helped. Well, she’s the Saintess, right? I haven’t even drawn blood, so it’s safe. Safe.’

“Now then, who should we hear from first?”

Zeke felt the need to gather information.

Setting aside why the Saintess was here, as he pondered what she had said earlier…

It seemed like she knew a lot about this world.

He wanted nothing more than to wake her up right now and ask her a million questions, but…

‘No. Even if I ask her, she won’t give me a straight answer. So, I’ll gather some preliminary information from these guys who know her and then ask her.’

Of course, he was able to save Soi thanks to the Saintess, but that was then and this is now.

He had been betrayed in Dave Continent, and they had even crossed swords when they parted ways. It was hard to completely trust her.

“Right, you, the guy with the stripes on his face. Let’s start with you. You said her name is Lillie, right? What’s her last name?”

* * *

Duke Yohaiden looked up at the mountain after gathering the surviving knights and survivors.

He saw the towering mountain range, almost half of it collapsed.

As the thick dust settled, he could feel the immense power that had been unleashed.

“It’s quiet.”

“…Yes. I thought the heavens and earth were collapsing…”

Sedan, his son, spoke from beside him.

“That must have been the sound of their leader… and Sir Zeke fighting…”

“Indeed. What do you think the outcome was?”

“I can’t imagine Sir Zeke losing… but I have a bad feeling about this… Ah!”

Sedan’s eyes widened as he muttered to himself.

“What is it?”

“Soi Spoon! That child! She went up the mountain!”

“What?!”

Wasn’t that commoner child, Soi Spoon, Zeke Clayman’s disciple?

Duke Yohaiden himself had witnessed her skills midway through the battle.

The girl who wielded her sword like a demon, cutting down enemies with a sinister aura.

She was undoubtedly strong.

Perhaps even stronger than any of the Yohaiden Knights.

However, her skills were still within the realm of humans.

Could she have possibly intervened in that mythical battle?

“If that child was taken hostage…!”

“…”

Duke Yohaiden closed his eyes, swallowing his anxiety.

As he seemed to be gathering his thoughts, Sedan called out to him.

“Father.”

“…Yes.”

“We are the Yohaiden Dukedom. We do not betray the kindness we have received.”

Sedan straightened his face and looked directly at Duke Yohaiden.

“We already owe him our lives countless times. Of course, we do not know what the situation is up there, and it may be a hindrance for us to confront the one he was fighting. However! Nevertheless, we must go.”

“What if we become a liability and worsen the situation?”

“We will eliminate the hostage’s value.”

Even Duke Yohaiden was taken aback by those words.

“Of course, that is the worst-case scenario. In truth, weren’t we already as good as dead on the first day?”

Duke Yohaiden let out a chuckle as he met his second son’s unwavering gaze.

Compared to his calm and strong firstborn, his second son had always been lacking in many ways.

Yet, to think that the child had grown enough to speak of Yohaiden in such a way.

How could he not be proud?

“You are right. Hmm, let’s gather those who are willing and head up the mountain. Whether we face a demon or a monster, if we can so much as grab onto a single toe… That is what we must do.”

“Yes, Father!”

***

And so, they reached the summit, their hearts resolute.

“?!”

Duke Yohaiden’s jaw dropped as he witnessed the scene before him.

“Oi!? You gonna talk or what? Gonna lose your precious little Lillie’s head, huh? Aang?”

Zeke was holding a delicate girl hostage, a blade pressed against her throat, threatening her with the most vulgar language imaginable.

“Um… H-Hero…?”

Sedan’s bewildered voice reached his ears from beside him.