Rebirth From Ordinary Person To The Strongest

In the end, both Renji and my father limited me to just one sauna session. They said that too much could be bad for my body. Apparently, typical sauna enthusiasts go for three rounds, but maybe I'll try that once I'm an adult. For now, though, I sipped on "Oropo," a drink they recommended for rehydration after a sauna session.

They told me that drinking this "Oropo" after a sauna session helps replenish fluids, so I gave it a shot. It was surprisingly tasty and refreshing, and I could feel the water coursing through my body. But, honestly, couldn't I have just had a sports drink?

With these random thoughts floating around, I realized I had an oddly clear sense of mind—a kind of openness I'd never quite felt before. Maybe this sauna experience was worth it after all.

After we finished our time in the sauna, we changed into fresh clothes and headed to the inn's front lobby to wait for the girls to return. Sitting on a sofa, I sipped on some green tea as steam rose from the cup in front of me. The large windows behind my father and Renji overlooked the inn's courtyard, where the vibrant red and orange of the autumn leaves created a picturesque scene. It almost felt like stepping into a traditional painting, which somehow made the tea taste even better.

So, why were we waiting for the girls in the lobby? Because we were about to head off to meet the legendary swordsmith who could forge a you-tou—a magic sword crafted from a demon's remains.

Excitement bubbled within me as I thought about finally having a weapon of my own, while another part of me worried about how Nina-chan was doing after her time in the hot spring. The emotions swirled together, leaving me feeling restless. As I distracted myself with some of the sweets on the table, my father glanced over at me and asked:

"So, Itsuki, have you decided which one you'll use?"

"You mean which relic?"

"That's right."

The you-tou would be forged from one of my relics, meaning I had to choose which one.

I currently had three relics:

Raikou Douji

,

Akeno Harunaga's Insect

, and the

Puppet, Luppet, Marionette

—the last one being the relic left by the demon that had killed Nina's father.

I gazed at each of the relics hanging around my neck, feeling their weight, before nodding confidently.

"Yes, I've made my choice."

"Good."

After my reply, my father took a sip of his tea, muttering "Hot!" as he pulled the cup away. My dad's always been a bit of a lightweight when it comes to hot food and drinks.

Satisfied with my answer, he didn't press me to reveal which relic I'd chosen. As I slipped them back under my shirt, I noticed Nina-chan and Aya-chan coming down the hall.

"Oh, there you are!" Aya-chan called, her face lighting up with a smile as she waved, while Nina-chan remained silent, quickly walking over and clutching my hand tightly. She took a deep breath, almost as if calming herself.

"How was it, Nina-chan? Did you enjoy the hot spring?" I asked.

"It was… okay," she replied curtly. Her tone was short, but I didn't sense the usual resistance, which was a relief.

"Oh! Nina-chan and I talked about lots of things!" Aya-chan chirped, turning to me with an excited grin.

"Things? What kinds of things?"

"Well, we talked about you, Itsuki-kun!"

"Me?"

"Yeah, like how you know so many different types of magic!" Aya-chan beamed.

I had to admit, Aya-chan's social skills were a huge help. She could talk to anyone with ease, and it often bridged the gap for those of us who weren't quite as outgoing.

Nina-chan, still holding my hand silently, finally spoke up, joining the conversation.

"We also talked about practicing fairy magic with you…"

"Oh, right! That too!" Aya-chan continued eagerly. "You know, like on Saturdays or Sundays when you come over to practice magic? I was curious about what you do on weekdays."

The fact that Nina-chan had joined the conversation seemed to make Aya-chan even more cheerful.

"And I never got the full story from you about fairy magic, so I thought I'd ask Nina-chan instead! Then she told me that even though you only come over once a week, you two practice magic together after school, and I was surprised!"

"Well… that's just when we both have some free time…" I said, feeling slightly flustered.

"Oh, I know; Nina-chan already told me that part too," Aya-chan replied, smiling sweetly.

I could almost feel a bit of… pressure from her words. Maybe I was imagining things.

For the record, it wasn't that I'd withheld details about fairy magic from Aya-chan on purpose. My father had once told me that dabbling in too many types of magic without proper focus could be dangerous. I didn't want to accidentally influence Aya-chan to pursue a path she wasn't ready for.

As I struggled to find a way to explain myself, Irena-san arrived at the front desk, and both Renji and my father rose to their feet.

"All right, shall we?" Renji said, glancing at the group.

"We're going already?" I asked, looking around.

The girls had returned, but Hina and Mom weren't back yet. Noticing my hesitation, my father continued.

"Yes. The swordsmith's workshop is located at a ley line's energy nexus. It's best if only the exorcists go. The powerful energy there could affect anyone unaccustomed to it, even Hina. Although she's been practicing magic, it's safer for her to wait until she's older."

"What would happen if someone isn't used to the energy?" I asked.

"Nausea, dizziness, headaches, possibly even hallucinations or auditory distortions… that sort of thing."

"Oh… okay."

Hearing the list of symptoms, I felt relieved that Hina and the others wouldn't be joining us. I stood, ready to go, and took Nina-chan's hand to guide her outside. But then I felt someone take my other hand.

"Aya-chan?"

"It's more balanced this way, don't you think?" she said with a bright smile.

"Oh, um… yeah. I guess it is?" I replied, a bit taken aback by her directness.

"We should hurry, or we'll fall behind," she urged.

"R-right!"

Before I could fully process what was happening, I found myself following my father and Renji with both Nina-chan and Aya-chan in tow. Glancing back, I noticed the adults chuckling at the sight. It was… a little embarrassing, to be honest.

But since it didn't seem right to pull my hands free, I let them hold on and turned my attention back to the task at hand.

"Hey, Dad… how are we getting to the swordsmith?"

"We'll go part of the way by car."

"Part of the way?"

"From there, we'll be hiking up the mountain."

Hiking. Right after a hot spring session?

I felt my muscles ache in protest even before we started. It was true I'd gone on hikes before, but those were mostly local trails or short distances around our neighborhood. A hike to a swordsmith's workshop at a ley line nexus felt like a whole different challenge.

Seeing my expression, Renji grinned and clapped me on the shoulder.

"It's a great workout, and besides, you'll be carrying your own weapon soon. Gotta build up that endurance!"

"Y-yeah," I replied, smiling nervously.

But despite my apprehension, a flicker of excitement began to grow within me as we started our journey.