The Bald Dragon Blade and the Exotic Field Sword

I was Lu Ren, the newly appointed Hero, and yet, I was also Emily, the Hero who had come before.

Following the previous episode, once the villagers had completed their reverent prostrations, they dispersed as quickly as they had gathered. Some sought leisure, others returned to their duties, and soon the village buzzed with renewed activity, resuming its customary, bustling appearance.

As for me, no longer truly Lu Ren, I found myself with nothing to do but idly wander through the village streets.

As I strolled, observing the villagers’ beaming faces, a pang of wistful envy struck me. ‘Why,’ I mused, ‘did no one ever look at me like that when I was still Lu Ren…’

Just then, Key, who had been trailing closely behind me, stretched languidly and yawned. “Most of the issues are sorted,” she announced. “I’m going to take a nap inside your body! See you in a bit.” Before I could react, she made a dive straight for my chest…

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing!” I yelped, instantly snatching her out of the air.

“Let me in!” Key protested, wriggling frantically in my grip.

“Are you trying to bore a hole straight through my chest!”

“What on earth is wrong with your thought process! I’m a spirit, a Guardian Spirit! I need to merge with my host’s body to restore my energy!”

“Huh?”

“You really don’t get it? I’ve been out here for over a day, and I’m utterly exhausted! Yet you’re still blocking my way! Let me in! Let me in!”

‘So, Guardian Spirits can’t remain outside for extended periods; they must retreat into their host’s body to rest. No wonder then… I finally understood why I hadn’t seen the previous Hero emerge before her demise. It seemed she had simply overslept during her deep slumber…’

“Fine,” I conceded, releasing my grip.

“Goodnight…” Key’s tiny hands brushed against my chest first, emitting a faint, ethereal glow, before she slowly, almost imperceptibly, phased into my body.

With a faint, crisp ‘pat’, she vanished.

“Key?” I murmured, patting my chest tentatively.

“Looks like she’s truly asleep.”

‘Finally, that bothersome little spirit was gone, and the unsettling sensation of being constantly watched lifted.’

‘Hm? This sensation… My gaze dropped to where my hand rested, and a sudden flush crept up my face. Oh!’

‘Had I just… touched my own chest?’

‘When I’d first seen the Hero, with that flat breastplate she wore, I’d assumed she was an A-cup… Who knew there was actually a bit of “substance” there after all?’

‘I… I wanted to touch them again…’

‘No, absolutely not! How could such a thought even cross my mind? Am I some kind of pervert?!’

‘And yet… then again, this is my body now…’

‘No, absolutely not! Even after all these years of being single, this is unacceptable! You are a man of dignity! Though my exterior is now that of a woman, my core remains that of a man of unyielding resolve!’

‘Still… I recalled a certain philosopher once quipping—[What’s wrong with a man being a pervert, anyway?]’

…

‘Well, it seems I’ve successfully convinced myself! (A triumphant stride towards depravity, indeed!)’

‘My own body, I’ll touch it as I please! Who cares what anyone thinks!’

I spread my palms, slowly, deliberately, moving them towards my chest. My face felt flushed, and my heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs…

I swallowed hard, almost afraid to look…

‘Just touch them! Go on, touch them!’

Just as my fingertips were about to make contact…

“Hero.”

A familiar voice echoed from behind me.

“W-whoa! I wasn’t doing anything at all!”

I flailed my hands wildly, utterly flustered, as if I’d been caught red-handed in a most compromising position!

“Oh? Is something the matter?”

I spun around to find a man standing there.

He was a handsome man with a sturdy, imposing build. His hair was a disheveled mess, and his simple cloth tunic looked rather worn. A square wine flask hung from his waist, while a massive two-handed sword rested across his back. Despite his somewhat unkempt appearance, he exuded an undeniable aura of cheerfulness, clearly visible in the upturned corners of his lips and his confident smile.

“N-nothing at all…” I stammered, feeling utterly awkward.

‘How to explain… I knew this man, and not merely as a fleeting acquaintance…’

“The scenery here is quite pleasant, wouldn’t you agree?”

“It certainly is pleasant…” I mumbled.

This man was Helter, my childhood companion, with whom I had grown up since our earliest days.

“Though the Royal Capital thrives with prosperity, it lacks the tranquil charm of this humble little village, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed…” I agreed faintly.

He had once been a common soldier in the Royal Capital, yet his swordsmanship was truly exceptional, even considered top-tier. Unappreciated and living a life of destitution, he had eventually resigned, returning to become a hunter. He often sought me out when idle, to share a quiet drink, treating me with the camaraderie of a brother.

“Why so reserved, Hero?”

“Emmmm…”

‘I absolutely couldn’t engage him in extended conversation! This was my paramount thought. He was the one person in this entire village who knew me best! And I had promised Key I wouldn’t expose my true identity!’

“Are you perhaps unwilling to converse with me, then?” Helter inquired.

“I… no, it’s just that I’m feeling a little… shy.”

‘Please, Helter! The tavern is right there, just steps away! Go have a drink! Don’t just seek out awkward conversations for no reason!’

“So even the Hero has moments of shyness, huh, hahaha.” He chuckled heartily, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

I could only manage a forced smile. “Indeed…” I murmured.

“The Hero is, after all, still a woman, it seems.”

“Emmmm…”

‘So what exactly do you want… just coming over to strike up a conversation out of nowhere…’

“Then, if I may ask, what brings you to me so suddenly…”

“Heh heh.”

Helter cracked his neck, and his jovial expression vanished in an instant!

“As for me, Hero, I have come to challenge you.”

“Huh?”

“What?!”

With a sharp zzing, Helter unsheathed his greatsword. The massive blade then slammed down with a resounding thump, instantly cracking the perfectly intact ground beneath it! This has to be a joke! It simply must be a joke! ‘I swear I’m going to lose my mind,’ I thought, utterly exasperated.

‘Given my understanding of him, there was absolutely no way I could win this!’

‘Why? Do you truly wish to know why?!’

‘Helter was a figure known throughout the Royal Capital as the “Down-and-Out Greatswordsman”! He had a title! While I, on the other hand, was merely a third-rate assassin!’

“Come now, Hero! Unsheathe your weapon! Let us have a friendly spar!”

“W-wait, wait, wait! My sword isn’t on me right now!”

‘Fortunately, I had left the Hero’s sword back at the house. (I’d stored it there after burying the previous Hero. And, incidentally, the helmet was there too.)’

“Oh, is that so?” Helter’s expression shifted, a hint of awkwardness crossing his face.

‘Surely you’re out of options now, aren’t you? You can’t possibly lay a hand on an unarmed young woman, can you?’

“I have one right here!!! Hero!”

Suddenly… a bald man burst onto the scene! ‘Holy heavens!’ I gasped internally. It was the Blacksmith!

He was hauling an enormous backpack, brimming with an assortment of blades, swords, spears, maces… you name it, he had it! ‘Did you just move your entire weapon shop here, Blacksmith?’ I thought, utterly dumbfounded.

“Hero, choose anything you desire! Top-tier quality, unparalleled craftsmanship, and not a single copper coin from your purse!”

‘How in the world did you manage to get here so quickly…’

“Because I heard the call for a weapon from afar! I have come at your summons, Hero!”

“Huh? Blacksmith, when did you acquire such an astonishing skill?”

“Oh…” I mumbled.

“Come on, make your choice quickly!” The Blacksmith turned, presenting his back to me, which instantly revealed a dazzling array of weapons.

“This blade…”

“Ah, this one! When I was a young man, I spent an entire year meticulously grinding dragon fangs to forge it. My dedication was so intense that I lost all my hair, hence I named it the Bald Dragon Blade!”

“Dragon-slaying—no, the Bald Dragon Blade… So that’s how you ended up bald, Blacksmith!”

“And this sword…”

“This one is crafted from the skull of a colossal, exotic bird. The magnificent creature met its end when it plummeted into my field, so I christened it the Exotic Field Sword! It’s the finest blade I’ve ever forged in this entire village!”

“Heavenly Sword—no, the Exotic Field Sword, what’s wrong with my tongue… And calling it the best sword in the entire village… it just sounds a tad unreliable.”

“Hero, hurry now! I can barely contain my excitement!”

‘How am I supposed to choose from all these peculiar weapons…’

“You could try the long spear next to it. Since it was an inspired creation born of a stroke of luck, I call it the Lucky Star!”

“Don’t brag about things with E-rank luck!”

‘Aargh! Never mind! I’ll just pick any random one and lose to Helter!’

“Then you’re the one! Heavenly Sword!”

“It’s the Exotic Field Sword!”