Star-Slaying Swordsman Chapter 2

I want to slay the stars.

When I said that phrase, everyone was taken aback.

Everyone in my age group laughed at .

They told that I should know my place.

That I was just a re villager, and instead of yearning for sothing unrealistic like Slaying the Stars, I should aim to be a swordsman first.

My parents told that it was okay to dream as long as I kept it in moderation.

There was no one around who was happy to hear about my ambition.

Stars, huh

Thud, thud.

As the breeze sounded through, she looked at with half-opened eyes as I continued to plow the field with the tip of my broken hoe, with only the handle intact.

Her na is Sofia.

My childhood friend and the sole person that was astonished by my Star Slaying aspiration.

Four years had already passed since the day I had that vivid dream, and I was now 12 years old.

However, the passion that built up from my aspiration never cooled down.

On the contrary, it did the exact opposite and only grew more and more.

That's why I'd been swinging the wreckage of this hoe, day in and out, ever since that day.

Perhaps it was because I'd always refused to listen to what anyone had to say, but Sofia was now the sole person to complain about my un-village-like behavior.

I cant fathom what youre thinking at all, Julius.

She dropped to the ground, letting out a big sigh.

I admired him because he was amazing. And I intend on aspiring to be like him, too.

Thats what made want to beco a Star Slayer.

I admired the way of life of the swordsman who dreamt of becoming a "Star Slayer."

I harbored the sa passion that he did, which was precisely the reason why I carried out the sa longing.

And to fulfill being a Star Slayer, I had been swinging my arms for four whole years, to the point that I wouldnt be able to lift them anymore.

Nonetheless, Sofia sighed and complained about how she couldnt understand my sentint.

But I guess it couldnt be helped.

I was certain that she would have to feel the sa passion that I did in order for us to understand one another.

And given that it wasnt a matter of logic, I had to think about it even more.

Do you want to be an adventurer, Julius?

Hm?

My arms, which had been moving at a regular interval, slowed a bit.

It was a question that'd been thrown around so much that it was almost like a callus to my ears.

A common question that everyone asked when I said I was trying to beco a swordsman.

I just want to slay the stars. If sothing could help do it, Ill do anything.

I replied in a sense that denied her question.

Adventurers are the common na for individuals who made a living by hunting monsters.

They could be swordsn, wizards, and so on

There were many of those who aspired to be one.

So I figured that might be the reason why she asked that question.

I really cant comprehend how Julius thinks after all.

If it had been for the sake of tangible profit, Sofia would have been imdiately convinced, but the reason I was wielding the sword was completely different from anything like that.

I wanted to live a shining life like that swordsman who dreamt of Slaying the Stars.

I wanted to share the sa passion that he did.

That was my underlying principle.

That was why my way of thinking was beyond the scope of Sofia's understanding.

I see.

I didnt wish to be understood.

A sword was a deadly weapon that could take soones life.

The reason why I wanted to beco a swordsman who wields a sword as if it were a matter of fact was "I admire him."

And that was where Id end up.

Maybe other people wouldn't understand.

For I was the only one who had this passion. Yeah, I could almost say that.

But still

There was still one thing that I needed Sofia to know, as soone who cared about throughout the four whole years that I'd dreamt of Slaying the Stars.

But

?

It may be an idea that no one understands, but I am having fun. The world looks so much brighter than before. Its more fun to have a goal as ridiculous as this than just to idly coast through life. Thats what I think.

As I swung the broken hoe, I wondered if she was surprised to hear say those things.

Blindsiding for a mont, Sofias face broke into a smile, followed by a giggle.

I feel like youve changed, Julius.

I have?

Yeah. You used to have the eyes like those of a dead fish, but now you have the eyes of a normal human.

My hand had stopped moving.

But it was only for a mont, and sohow I managed to regain my composure and started swinging my hoe again.

***

***

I-I see.

I don't know what it is, but you seem to be enjoying yourself. I don't know how much fun you're having, but you look like you're having a great ti, ever since that day four years ago.

That day, four years ago.

Since the day I saw the mory of the swordsman, I had been holding the remnants of the broken hoe, swinging it from morning to night in hopes of being a Star Slayer.

I did different things from ti to ti, but I basically just kept on doing this.

The day when everyone in the village started to look at strangely, I was sure that was the day Sofia was referring to.

Ive been thinking lately of trying sothing new, just like you, Julius.

Sothing new?

Yes, sothing new! You know, I think I have a knack for healing magic. Thats why the priest wants to beco a healer. He recruited when he ca to the village the other day.

Hmm~

Healers were invaluable.

It wasnt a path for everyone.

Only soone with a talent for healing magic, which was essential for a healer, could do it.

I was surprised that Sofia had such a talent, but at the sa ti, I decided to give her a little push to make the most of it.

I think its a good offer.

Thud, thud. I said as I continued to swing the hoe.

Really?

Yeah. You have a talent for healing, right? Why not put it to good use in a proper setting, then? It would be such a waste to let your talent rot here.

I had a feeling that the village chief would yell at if he heard that I was encouraging Sofia. Hed say that the village would lose young people again, but nevertheless, I sincerely felt like acting that way.

I didnt want to let her talent go to waste.

Such a waste, huh Alright. Im going to accept the priests offer and beco a healer!

She declared to in a strong voice, fists curled.

But then, I suppose Id be all alone in the Capital, huh

She glanced at deliberately, and in response to her, I threw back a Thats what youre worried about? as if to say sothing.

What Im saying is that, wont you co to the Capital with , Julius?

?

Because I an, youre the only one in my age group who wants to get out of this village. Besides, youre the one who encouraged .

In our enclosed village, there certainly was no one our age who wanted to go out of the village. They were all people who had spent their lives in an ordinary fashion, who wanted to finish it here.

I guess that was part of the reason

I was the target of a lot of strange glances, which highlighted the abnormality of my desire of becoming a "Star Slayer" and my constant pretense to be one.

There would be all sorts of dungeons if you go to the capital, Julius. You want to get stronger, dont you? At least its far more suitable for you there than to just continue to pretend as one in this village.

Hmm

She certainly had a point.

And I couldnt help but think about it, enough so to make let out a distressed groan reflexively.

A dungeon is a common na for a den of monsters where adventurers, as Sofia ntioned earlier, earned their living.

It was fine to keep pretending to be sothing you're not, but it was more advantageous to earn money and deal with monsters in dungeons.

Sofia's argunt was so right on every level that I almost nodded my head.

But I decided to shake my head at her words.

I get what youre trying to say, but Ill refuse.

Why?

She frowned sullenly, which was hardly surprising.

I said that I agreed with Sophia, but then I shook my head.

Contradictions were just great.

Ive just begun swinging this stick around for several years. I don't think I have enough training to make it out of the village yet.

My physical strength, my skills.

I was lacking everything.

So just a little more ti

You can just have soone in the Capital teach you how to wield a sword.

Thats beside the point.

I already had a swordmaster.

It wasnt a living person, it was just a mory.

But it was my one and only role model.

The origin of my admiration.

I replied imdiately to her words, believing that retracing my steps was what I was supposed to do.

Mmuuuuuuu

Sofia puffed up her cheeks and glared at my inflexible attitude.

But I shrugged it off like a breeze in the willows, moved my paused hand, and resud my pretend-swinging.

I dont know, I dont care anymore! I go out of my way to invite you but you just refuse !!

Sofia turned her back on , her shoulders heaving with anger as she made deliberate footsteps to leave the place. Perhaps she wanted to stop her.

Her stride was small in contrast to her angry expression.

I dont care anymore! Ill go with the adventurers coming here tomorrow and go to the Capital alone!

I guess she didnt like the fact that I didn't want to stop her from going.

She turned to my direction again, stuck her tongue out to mock , and then ran off.

An adventurer, huh?

As I watched her figure grow smaller and smaller in the distance, I whispered the words that I had been so privileged to hear lately.

It seed that one of the villagers saw a monster called a goblin outside of the village, and the village chief sent a request to the adventurer's guild in the Royal Capital to kill it.

There had also been a series of unexpected and disturbing events in the vicinity, such as a large number of monsters, and so a party of B-rank adventurers ca to the village, just as the village chief had boasted yesterday.

I had so thoughts.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested.

But at this point in my life, I had no intention of becoming an adventurer.

But still, I

No matter how many tis Sofia asked to be a part of it, I couldnt just nod my head and say okay.

Huh? The village chief told her to not go outside the village.

The direction she ran off in It was a path that led to the banks of a river outside the village.

A month before the goblins were said to have been seen, Sofia had been warned to stay in the village as much as possible, but she still went out frequently.

Apparently, she felt more at ease outside the village than inside it.

Well, talking about that girl, I really dont have to worry about her, do I?

Thinking about my childhood friend, who had been rather brash, I turned my attention back to my pretend play.

At that ti, I had absolutely no way of knowing.

That this incident would be a turning point, just like that day four years ago.