I'm The Only Granddaughter Of The Strongest Duke
Ch. 36

[Hey! You're not even hesitating!]

Uh, so noisy.

I left Ex in the reception room for two hours for talking rubbish to me after the conversation with Remart. He returned to me thanks to the maid who found Ex lying alone on the sofa.

And just when I thought he was quiet for a few hours...

'He's getting noisy again.'

If I knew this would happen, I'd leave him a little longer....

My grandfather spoke as he was examining Ex. 

"Eve, I'm not saying this because Nial is my son-in-law. Your dad is the best weaponsmith on the continent."

I know that already, Grandpa. That's why he died in vain creating anti-dragon swords!

Phew, thinking about it makes my blood boil. 

I couldn't bring myself to speak my mind and just keep it to myself. 

"Once I officially announce your existence, and the news of Nial Royce's return starts to get around, perhaps people who want to commission your dad will line up from this mansion all the way to the Imperial Palace."

"Whoa..."

That's not exactly good news, isn't it?

"That's why I was surprised to hear that he didn't make much money. Maybe he wasn't too well-known because of where he lived. Had he lived in a busier area, he would have garnered clients and gone viral fast."

Why wasn't he more well-known? Nial is a man who would become famous even if he made a sword with his feet. Unless someone is sabotaging him...

My grandfather mumbled alone. 

Flinch-

The 'saboteur' who prevented the continent's top weaponsmith from becoming famous bounced like a fish pricked with a needle. 

I looked at my grandfather, laughing awkwardly.

"Hehehe..."

That person was me. But I shouldn't let him know about this. 

I clapped as innocently as I could. 

"A-Ah, right! That's really weird. My dad is a very talented weaponsmith! That's right!"

Uuhh...sorry, Dad. I'll be a good daughter when I grow up.

My grandfather had no idea that I was the reason he was known as a terrible weaponsmith. 

I brushed it off as if I had nothing to do with it. There was a saying that ignorance is bliss. 

'In a way, I helped my dad hide away from my grandfather like he always wanted to do.'

A good thing is a good thing!

[Tsk. You and your denial syndrome.]

Ex kicked his tongue while he was in my grandfather's hand. 

"Heheh."

I pretended to clean the dust on the blade and punished Ex by hitting him without my grandfather knowing. 

"Eve."

My grandfather, who was seemingly unaware of me hitting the sword, held out the sword to me.

"Take a look."

"Me??"

"Who else is here except you? And this is your sword, so you should grab it."

He passed Excalibur from his big hand to mine.

Upon passing the sword to me, it was very different from how it looked in my grandfather's huge hand. The size of the sword didn't suit me at all. 

But that didn't matter. 

This is my dad's masterpiece, which he gave to me. I am the owner of this sword. 

I knew how to hold this sword well.

'Oh no, it can't cut the ham.'

Could you imagine the strength needed to hold a sharp sword enough to not cut a soft ham?

"Do I hold it like this?"

"Straighten your back. Pull your shoulders back. Spread your legs apart."

Huh?

I automatically stood upright, pulled back my shoulders, and spread my legs apart as my grandfather instructed. 

"Eve, when holding a sword, the most important thing is to feel the mana flowing through your body."

"...Pardon?"

"There's a mana hall in your body."

My grandfather, who looked at me tenderly, pulled out the sword that was fastened on his waist. 

The sword was longer than Ex.

"Why are you pulling it out?"

"Mana hall is where you store mana. The mana that flows through your body will be stored in the mana hall so it can be utilized when necessary."

My grandfather's sword clashed with Ex.

"This is mana utilization."

Blue aura poured out when the two swords clashed. I could feel Ex vibrating strongly upon clashing with a powerful force. 

I had to hold him with both hands, so I didn't drop Ex. 

"G-Grandfather!"

"This is the basics of swordsmanship. Normally, the ability of a wielder could be measured by the size of their mana hall."

At that moment, the blue aura subsided. Even my grandfather's aura didn't leave a scratch on Ex's blade. 

It was truly a lifetime masterpiece made by the continent's top weaponsmith. 

"And Eve, you have a talent that surpasses your mother."

"...Pardon?"

"You can trust my discerning eyes. I could feel it the moment I saw you for the first time. I saw that within you, there is a talent that surpasses Astrid!"

Excuse me, Grandfather?

"When you're ready, I'll teach you Ferdinand's way of mana utilization and swordsmanship."

"W-Wait a minute."

"Eve, before I am your grandfather, I am also a wielder who knew very well the greatness of an Ego Sword."

[Hmph, the guardian sure knows what he's talking about...]

"An Ego Sword is a sword that even a skilled weaponsmith struggles to make even if they put their entire life into it, and even if they made it, it is harder to replace the sword's master than to replace a needle in the desert."

I knew the reason. 

An Ego Sword is a sword that chooses its master. 

In other words, if they didn't like their masters, they could go on for hundreds or thousands of years without choosing a master.

"But your dad made an Ego Sword for you, and that Ego Sword chose you as its master."

"....."

"And you managed to get into the secret chamber that was only accessible to Ferdinand's family heads, who received the dragon's approval."

Shiing-

My grandfather sheathed his sword. 

"I don't think all of this is a coincidence. You may have the talent of a Sword Master, Eve."

"No, but..."

"And I intend to support you spiritually and physically so you can culminate your talent to your heart's content."

No, but I've never fought with a real sword.

But my grandfather's eyes were glistening, and he went on talking about my 'talent' as if my opinion didn't matter. 

I didn't dare to say that the only sharp object that I ever held was just a kitchen knife.

"Hehe..."

I just laughed awkwardly.