Several months had passed since I was reincarnated into this world. There were still just under three years remaining until Primeria, my absolute favorite character, was due to become my stepsister. I spent every waking moment laboring to trade my destined 'Villain' job for that of the 'Ideal Older Brother.'
My physique, which had previously resembled a catastrophic failure of a fusion dance, had improved considerably. In fact, I had thinned down to such an extent that my parents were quite convinced I had contracted a terminal wasting disease. They grew more fretful with every encounter as I continued to wither away, and while I appreciated the sentiment, I really wished they would stop trying to force-feed me mountains of sweets just as my diet was finally yielding results.
However, a rather significant snag had recently presented itself. To be perfectly honest, I had sensed it looming for a while, but I had been frantically looking the other way. I knew the truth. I had known it all along.
"My stats¹ are just too low!" I lamented.
Indeed, despite my status as a mid-boss, I was the weakest of the weak. My strength was barely on par with a common Goblin². It seemed Kraut was cursed with a spectacular lack of combat instinct.
"I believe your movements might improve slightly with more experience..." suggested Heliotrope. She was a beautiful combat maid, a former slave who now served as my sword instructor. She was trying to be kind, but the way her voice trailed off and the strained, wry smile on her face told the honest, brutal truth.
Usually, she was quite strict with me, which made this sudden dip into gentleness sting all the more. It felt like salt being rubbed into an open wound.
"No, I know it myself. I have absolutely zero talent for the sword," I said. In the first place, the original Kraut had never bothered to swing a blade in his life, and I was merely a former otaku from the peaceful shores of Japan. When two such pathetic losers merged into one soul, the result was nothing more than a double-layered weakling. I could practically hear the world mocking me.
"Would you care to try something other than a sword? Perhaps a spear or a bow?" Heliotrope asked.
"...Well, I won't say there's no chance, but I doubt it would change much," I replied. I was painfully aware of Kraut's data in the game world of 'Sword and Magic and Cadenas³.' Whether it was a sword, a spear, or a club, the results were consistently dismal. Unlike a protagonist, a mid-boss possessed no hidden potential, and the players certainly hadn't demanded any.
I was already the sort of person who took several times longer than average to learn a single thing. Switching weapons now would likely just result in the same pathetic display with a different prop. Since this was reality and not a game with limited character models, wasting time on something that wouldn't work felt futile.
Wait. Learning one thing?
"That's it! This might actually work!" I exclaimed.
"Have you had a brilliant thought?" Heliotrope asked, looking surprised.
"I might have found a breakthrough, or a desperate countermeasure, at least," I said. The real question was whether 'that' existed in this world. But if this truly followed the logic of a game world, it simply had to be there. I would have to ask Sebastian to hunt it down for me.
The following day arrived with a sense of anticipation.
"Young Master, here is the item you requested," Sebastian announced. Before me sat a long, slender wooden box, about a meter in length. My exceptionally efficient butler had managed to track down the goods with remarkable speed. As expected of Sebastian. But honestly, I really wished he would drop the 'Young Master' bit.
"Thank you, Sebastian. I didn't think you'd find it so quickly. Also, I'd be really happy if you'd stop calling me Young Master," I said.
"Please, inspect the contents," Sebastian replied, ignoring me entirely. He seemed to have a mysterious, unshakable dedication to that title.
"Is that the breakthrough you mentioned yesterday, Master?" Heliotrope asked. She seemed uncharacteristically curious. I shot a mental glare at Sebastian for his stubbornness, but I was too eager to see the item to argue further.
"Yes. If this works, I might finally be able to establish a combat style of my own. This..."
I pried open the wooden box. Nestled inside was a single sword, finished in jet-black from the hilt to the scabbard. It possessed a slight, elegant curve and was considerably more slender than the standard broadswords I had been practicing with. It was, unmistakably...
"...A Katana!" I declared.
It was the classic staple of the 'reincarnated in another world' genre. The ultimate weapon and work of art that fascinated Japanese people, foreigners, and even denizens of fantasy worlds alike. I knew it had to exist; after all, they were sold quite normally in the game's weapon shops. I decided to toss any questions about why a Katana was in a medieval fantasy setting straight into the bin.
With my heart racing, I slowly drew the blade from its sheath. The silver steel was a beautiful contrast to the obsidian scabbard, and I could see my own grinning reflection in the polished surface. I quickly tried to fix my expression into something more serious.
It was my first time holding a Katana, and it was surprisingly light. Even with my lack of physical power, I could handle it easily.
"That particular 'Katana' is crafted from Mythril⁴," Sebastian added, noticing my surprise.
Mythril! The legendary fantasy metal had finally made its appearance. My inner fourteen-year-old was absolutely reeling with excitement. It was as if a bolt of pure coolness had struck me right in the heart.
"So this is a Katana," Heliotrope mused. "I've heard the name, but this is the first time I've seen one. Still... even if you use this weapon..."
I knew what she was thinking. If I had no talent for the sword, she doubted a different shaped blade would make a difference. She was technically correct; a clumsy apprentice like me would normally struggle to master even a single technique regardless of the weapon.
That was precisely why I chose the Katana. If I couldn't learn a variety of techniques, I would simply have to master one to its absolute limit. And for that purpose, there was only one choice: Iai⁵.
Summary:
Kraut continues his weight loss journey but hits a wall regarding his combat abilities. Realizing he has no talent for standard swordsmanship, he requests a specific item from his butler, Sebastian. Sebastian procures a black Mythril Katana, which Kraut plans to use to master a single style. He decides to focus all his efforts on the art of Iai to compensate for his low stats.
Character Insight:
Kraut shows a pragmatic side to his otaku obsession; he recognizes his own limitations as a 'mid-boss' character and decides to specialize rather than being a jack-of-all-trades. His 'eternal middle schooler' spirit drives his excitement for the Mythril blade, showing that while he wants to change his fate, he hasn't lost his original personality.
Behind the Scene:
The author leans into the 'Chuunibyou' (middle school syndrome) trope here, where the protagonist is hyper-aware of how 'cool' his weapon choices are. The mention of 'CG differences' reflects the character's lingering perspective that he is living inside a game.
T/L:
1 ↩ Status: A numerical representation of a character's power common in RPG-style stories.
2 ↩ Goblin: Typically the weakest enemy monster in fantasy settings.
3 ↩ Sword and Magic and Cadenas: The title of the fictional game the protagonist was reincarnated into.
4 ↩ Mythril: A legendary, lightweight, and incredibly strong silver-colored metal ubiquitous in fantasy literature.
5 ↩ Iai: Short for Iaidō, a Japanese martial art that emphasizes being able to quickly draw the sword and strike in a single motion.
Notes:
• Primeria - A main heroine of 'Sword, Magic, and the Cadenas'. Currently the illegitimate child of a Viscount family with high magical power and beauty. Destined to be adopted by the Weltheim Duke family when Kraut is twelve.
• Kraut - The eldest son of a Duke's family. He has blue eyes, a straight nose, and short silver hair. Despite his handsome facial features, he is notably obese. He was previously arrogant and selfish before regaining memories of a past life.
• Heliotrope - Kraut's exclusive maid, fifteen years old (six years older than Kraut). She has long black hair reaching her waist and a cool, beautiful face. She is a 'slave battle maid' who was formerly a noble lady from a fallen northern country. She wears a Victorian-style long-dress maid outfit.
• Sebastian - An elderly butler serving the Weltheim household.