After being banished from King's Landing, I returned to my home village of Yuzuha.
　It is where I was born and raised, and where I left to become an adventurer.
　My parents passed away when I was very young, but my family home was still there.
　People in the village would sometimes clean up the house for when I came back. That allowed me to get on with my life easily.
　I gave up on my dream of being an adventurer and came back home, only to be greeted by the people of the village who welcomed me with open arms.
　They were just surprised to see me bring three babies back with me. I told them the truth about their situation.

　Ten years later.
　The girls I'd found were now ten years old.

Hey!

　The girl with the silver hair-- Erza wields a wooden sword at me.
　The eldest of three sisters, she has a dignified face.
　She is taller than most of her peers.
　The swordsmanship is so sharp and strong that it's hard to believe she's a ten-year-old.

　--However, she's still just a child.

　I effortlessly catch her blow with my wooden sword.

''Eeeeeeee!''

　Elsa just called out and came at you with a bang.
　She has the advantage of being bold.
　I ducked her blow as she stepped in and hooked my right foot on her leg.
　My center of gravity wobbles forward.

Wow. "...wow. Wow.

　Elsa is trying to balance on one leg, flopping around on the floor.
　I aimed at her head and--pokari.
　I swung the tip of my sword down gently.
　That was the trigger that sent Elsa stumbling to the ground. She's in an awkward position with her hips thrust out toward you.

She's holding her head down, "There it is .......
You're a gamble, right?

　I laugh at him.

"Ugh. ....... That's my dad. I didn't manage to hit him with my sword again. I was determined to make it happen today. ......
"Hmm. I can't let my darling daughter give me a blow yet.

　I smile at Elsa.
　Even though I'm retired from adventuring, I still have to train. It's too soon for a ten-year-old girl to give me a blow.
　And she's only 27 years old.

But Elsa was pretty good too. Her swordsmanship is even better than before. If she keeps up this pace, she'll be a great fighter.
'Can I be a swordsman like my dad ...... father?'
Yeah. I'm sure.

　I stroked Elsa's silver hair gently.

"And you don't have to be so formal about it. You can just call me Dad, okay?
-Oh!

　Elsa's cheeks were quickly reddened.

...... That's not possible. I'm a swordsman. You need to keep your distance from the soft objects and practice your sword. You'll never become a first-rate swordsman.
Do you have to call him "Dad" to be a softy?
'Yes, sir. Calling me "Dad" or eating dessert is soft. A swordsman must always be a swordsman!

　It seems that Elsa has her own vision of the ideal swordsman. Perhaps she was influenced by reading swordsman's heroic tales at home.

I see... That's a shame. We're having apple pie for dinner tonight. Can't eat that if you don't like soft stuff.
Pi?

　Elsa's eyes sparkled with a squeal . When a greedy expression appeared on her face, she muttered while pinching the index fingers of both hands together.

...... I'm going to be a little soft today.

　She was so easy on herself.
　I chuckled and walked away from Elsa's hand.
　Her little palms were blistered from swinging her sword.
　She was the one who was most interested in the sword out of the three sisters.
　Her eyes would sparkle when she saw me swinging it in our yard.
　Whenever I swung my sword, she would clap her hands together in delight.
　Even when she cried at night, she calmed down when I gave her the wooden sword.
　When she was a baby and now at ten years old, she would fall asleep with the wooden sword I was using in her arms.
　That seemed to calm her down.



When I grow up, I want to be an adventurer like my father. And I will slay the dragons he couldn't.

　Elsa declared, sniffling, as she told me.
　The girls knew I'd been an adventurer.
　People in the village had spoken.
　They told me that Kaiser was the best swordsman in their village and the youngest adventurer ever to become an A-ranked genius after becoming an adventurer.
　It's a little too much of a stretch to be true: .......
　When Elsa heard that, she longed to be an adventurer.
　And she is determined to slay the Ancient Dragon for me, the one the villagers said I couldn't slay.

　I had mixed feelings.
　As a parent, you don't want to turn your daughter into a dangerous adventurer.
　Besides, the ancient dragon was not only the monster I couldn't defeat, but it was also responsible for burning Erza's homeland to the ground.
　If I had to get Elsa killed as well--''

...... No, that's a parent's ego.

　I shook my head and shook the thought out of my head.
　It's not up to me to decide what happens to Elsa. It's Elsa herself.
　If she wants to be a swordsman and an adventurer, there's no reason to stop her. That would only be for the convenience of her parents.
　So if that's the case...
　Then I'll try to teach her how to use the sword so she can become as strong as possible. As a swordsman, to gain the strength to defend yourself and those you care about.
　That's all I can do for Elsa as a parent.