Volume 4 Chapter 37 The Greatest Villain In The World, Recruiting The Future's Strongest Strategist (Part I)
A few days later, I was visiting Heki Nei-san's house.
I was there to meet Heki Nei-san's niece──the strongest strategist in the game "History of Swordmaster," Fuu Senkou.
Heki Nei-san's niece is 16 years old. Since the game starts ten years later, she should be 26 by then.
But in the game, Fuu Senkou appears to be in her late teens. There's a big age difference.
Maybe Heki Nei-san's niece is a different person with the same name.
But... she gave me useful information about Kozan.
That info was really helpful.
Later, when I asked the soldiers, they confirmed that there were indeed traps where Fuu Senkou had pointed out.
Heki Nei-san's niece has some serious analytical skills.
Whether or not she is the same person as the game's Fuu Senkou, it's worth meeting her.
Thinking this, I asked Heki Nei-san to help me meet her.
"It's a request from the greatly respected Kou-dono. I will persuade my niece."
Heki Nei-san nodded easily.
"However, what does Kou-dono want with Senkou?"
"Your niece has talent."
"...Indeed, Senkou is a smart girl, but..."
"Recently, there have been unsettling organizations moving around the country. I believe we should utilize talented individuals to counter them."
Heki Nei-san's niece definitely has talent.
That's for sure. So, I want her to be an advisor.
It doesn't matter if she's not the same person as the game's Fuu Senkou. I need a strategist who is good at assessing situations.
If, by any chance, Heki Nei-san's niece is the same as the game's Fuu Senkou, I can't just leave her alone.
If she stays out in the wild, there's no doubt that a hero army will come to scout her.
I don't think Heki Nei-san's niece would trust the "Golden Feather Syndicate," but... you never know what that organization might do.
If Fuu Senkou sides with the "Golden Feather Syndicate," that group will become even more powerful. I have to avoid that situation.
The only one who can match Fuu Senkou with intelligence and strategy is Tougen Shimei from the Jinkyo Tribe.
The strategy guide for "History of Swordmaster" even said that if you have both Fuu Senkou and Tougen Shimei as strategists, you could easily conquer the world.
Of course, in the game, it's impossible to have both as strategists.
──That's why I want to meet Heki Nei-san's niece.
Of course, I can't tell Heki Nei-san about the game.
So, I explained, "Anyway, I'm interested in your talented niece."
And then──
"I understand your story well."
Heki Nei-san nodded after hearing me.
"So, Kou-dono is saying that you value Senkou?"
"That's right."
I nodded in response to Heki Nei-san's question.
"In the future, I hope to have Heki Nei-san's niece as an advisor."
"What!?"
"Of course, that's if I can get a higher position and be able to support my subordinates. Right now, it's impossible. But I want to get Heki Nei-san's permission now and talk to her about it."
"Why do you value my niece so much?"
"Her information was very helpful during the Kozan campaign."
"Is that all?"
"Your niece provided accurate advice based on that information. I truly believe she has the ability to 'know the world well from behind the curtain'."
"...Oh."
"I'm glad to have someone like her as an advisor. I think I can work more comfortably with her help."
"I see..."
Heki Nei-san seemed to understand.
"Kou-dono appreciates Senkou's talent. So, you want to make her an advisor?"
"Yes."
"After you get a high official position, you want to hire her and keep her close in the future?"
"Yes, that's the idea."
"Indeed... since you are close in age, it might be a good idea."
"Then, can I get your permission, Heki Nei-san?"
"Of course. But... my niece has a few unusual traits."
Heki Nei-san hesitated.
Then he shook his head and said,
"Anyway, we should consider her feelings too. First, let's meet her in person."
"Understood. I will visit on a day that works for your niece."
So, I successfully made an appointment.
And now, I am sitting in a chair at Heki Nei-san's house, drinking tea.
Heki Nei-san has gone deeper into the house.
It seems he is talking to his niece. I can hear their voices.
"...Did Uncle Shuu reveal Kō's age!?"
"...Shuu probably didn't mean any harm."
"...In our neighborhood, we pretend I'm younger. Kō goes by little Kō-chan. But still..."
"...I can't lie to the honorable Kou-dono."
"...That's true, but..."
Eventually, it becomes quiet.
I hear footsteps, and a figure appears from the back of the house.
"Nice to meet you, Kou Tenhou-sama. I am Fuu Senkou, the niece of Uncle Nei."
The person who appeared was a young girl.
She looked about ten years old. There was no way she looked 16.
She had light brown hair tied up in a bun.
She was wearing a slightly oversized robe.
It didn't fit her body, and her fingers didn't come out of the sleeves.
She was wearing it loosely because it was formal attire for welcoming guests.
She had light brown hair tied up in a bun. She was wearing a slightly oversized robe.
It didn't fit her body, and her fingers didn't come out of the sleeves.
She was wearing it loosely because it was formal attire for welcoming guests.
The game's Fuu Senkou also had a baby face.
If you made her about 8 years younger, she would look just like the girl in front of me.
I see. So, Heki Nei-san's niece is the Fuu Senkou from the game.
"Thank you for your time. I am the Vice Captain of Defense in Toukaku, and I go by Kou Tenhou. I am always grateful to Heki Nei-sama."
I clasped my hands together towards Fuu Senkou.
"Thank you for the valuable information during the battle at Kozan. Thanks to you, we were able to gain an advantage in the fight. We managed to neutralize the 'Hidden Five Gods' without any casualties, all thanks to your information. On behalf of my unit, I want to express my gratitude."
"...Y-yes."
Fuu Senkou's eyes widened in surprise.
Then she returned the clasped hands gesture.
"Um... Kou Tenhou-sama."
"Yes, Fuu Senkou-san?"
"Please call me Kō."
"Huh?"
"I ask close people to call me that. You have helped me avenge my parents. So please, feel free to call me Kō."
"Oh, okay. Then, Kō-san."
"Kou Tenhou-sama. You know Kō's age, right?"
"Yes, I heard from Shuu-san. Sixteen years old."
"...Don't you find it strange or odd to see Kō looking like a child at 16?"
Fuu Senkou, who looked like a child, turned around in front of me.
"Even though Kō-san is 16 years old, and looks like a little girl, don't you think it's strange or weird...?"
"There's a reason for it, right?"
"There is."
"I understand. I accept that."
"Is that okay!?"
"Everyone has things they can't tell others about."
I'm hiding the fact that I'm a 'reincarnator.'
Shouou is also keeping her identity as a princess of Souma Country a secret.
Everyone has secrets they can't share with others.
"I won't pry. Kō-san helped us in the battle at Kozan. That's all that matters."
"See? You didn't need to feel pressured, right?"
From the back, Heki Nei-san came over.
He must have come to make more tea. He's holding a steaming teapot and smiling.
"Kou-dono has the ability to see the truth. That's why he figured out the connection between the 'Hidden Five Gods' and the Chou Family, and helped us defeat our enemy."
"Y-yes, Uncle Nei."
"Someone like that wants you."
"Someone like this Kō?"
"Yes. First, trust Kou-dono and tell him your story."
"...Okay."
Fuu Senkou turned to face me.
Then she deeply bowed and said,
"I will tell you why Kō looks like this."
"Is that okay, Kō?"
"Uncle Nei, you raised Kō. If Uncle Nei believes in someone, then Kō will too."
Fuu Senkou's small shoulders were shaking.
It seemed like she was scared to reveal her secret.
"Kō is 16 years old. But she looks about 10, right?"
"Yes, Kō-san."
"There's a reason why Kō's growth is slow..."
Then Fuu Senkou began to talk about her situation.
Fuu Senkou had a strong desire for knowledge since she was little.
This was because she was born small and didn't play outside much.
She couldn't make friends with other kids her age because they were bigger.
To help her, her father, who was a traveling merchant, taught her many things.
Books in this world are expensive.
So, her father gave her pieces of books or notes about stories he heard while traveling.
Every time her traveling merchant father came back, he brought her many notes.
These expanded Fuu Senkou's world.
Knowledge about places she had never been, and the cultures of different people.
Military information and rumors about battles.
Strange guidance methods and martial arts techniques.
Sometimes, he even brought back maps from his merchant friends.
As she read those records, she became able to recreate many things in her mind.
She was especially good at looking at maps.
Just by looking at a map, she could picture the scenery of that place in her head.
When her parents or Heki Nei-san visited those places, the scenery matched what Fuu Senkou described.
Everyone was amazed by her talent.
Feeling encouraged, Fuu Senkou then started to explore guidance methods and health techniques.
Of course, she only had bits of knowledge.
As she tried everything she could find──
"...It seems my growth has slowed down."
Saying this, Fuu Senkou sighed.
She had a thirst for knowledge. Her curiosity was overflowing.
But because she was small, she couldn't travel far.
It was hard to see the places she had only seen on maps.
But guidance methods and health techniques could be done right away.
She could see the results for herself.
That's why she seemed to have become 'hooked' on them.
After her parents were killed by bandits, it became even more extreme.
If she got healthy and strong, she might be able to take revenge on her parents' enemies.
Thinking this, she mixed all the guidance and health methods she knew and tried them──
"My growth has slowed down even more..."
"...I see."
"Specifically... I only grow about one year for every 3 years."
"That can happen."
Now I understood why Fuu Senkou in the game 'History of Swordmaster' claimed to be in her late teens.
She was mixing up all kinds of guidance methods.
Because of that, her physical growth was slowing down.
But no one in the hero group knew about this.
So, Fuu Senkou probably claimed an age that matched her appearance.
Maybe to avoid confusing those around her.
"Kō isn't as smart as Kou Tenhou-sama thinks."
Fuu Senkou smiled wryly.
"I was just absorbing everything out of curiosity. I experimented as I pleased, failed, and ended up stopping my physical growth. I was a foolish child. So..."
"I understand now."
"Do you really understand?"
"Yes. Kō-san and I are similar."
"Huh?"
"I also got a book on guidance methods and tried to follow it."
"...Kou Tenhou-sama did too?"
"I understand how you feel, Kō-san. When you read something in a book, you want to try it right away, right?"
"But, but, I failed..."
"That's because the knowledge you gained was incomplete. You can fill in the missing parts from now on. Then, your body might start to grow again."
I was probably just lucky.
I was born into a general's family, so I had the money to get the 'Beast Body Guidance' book.
Being a general's child, merchants also treated me well.
The guidance book I happened to get was real. That's all.
If I had been born as the child of a traveling merchant like Fuu Senkou, I might have only gained incomplete knowledge.
Still, I would have tried to follow the guidance.
To avoid the 'Kou Tenhou Destruction Ending.'.
As a result, I might have also stopped my physical growth, just like Fuu Senkou.
"My master is an expert in 'ki' and 'ki' energy. Let's have Kō-san's 'ki' and meridians checked. That way, we might find out why your growth is slowing down."
"Uh, okay."
"On the other hand... maybe Kō-san invented a guidance method for immortality? It might not be that your growth is slowing down, but that your lifespan is extending."
"Eh, really!?"
"They say hermits can live for thousands of years, right?"
"Y-yes, that's true. They say if you stop eating grains and eat mist, you can extend your life..."
"For someone with a lifespan of thousands of years, a few years is just a moment. Kō-san's slow growth might be because her body is becoming more like a hermit's."
"W-wait. What I'm doing is the 'Form of the Snake' guidance method and the breathing method of the Tanden Mizuchi (Dantian Water Serpent). And also the method of exposing my body to moonlight..."
"I'm also doing the 'Form of the Snake' guidance method."
"Kou Tenhou-sama too?"
"By the way... they say shedding snakes symbolize longevity and immortality, right?"
"My father's book said something like that! Wait a moment. I'll go get it..."
"Senkou. And Kou Tenhou-dono. Maybe you should calm down a bit...?"
""...Huh?""
Fuu Senkou and I exchanged glances.
Oh no... I got too caught up in the conversation.
But you know.
Fuu Senkou and I are probably similar.
Fuu Senkou was seeking knowledge to satisfy her curiosity and to avenge her parents.
I was searching for knowledge to avoid the 'Kou Tenhou Destruction Ending.' We were both looking for knowledge and practicing what we learned.
The reason I was doing well was that I was a general's child and met great masters.
But Fuu Senkou gained all this knowledge and wisdom on her own.
Fuu Senkou in the game was probably like that too.
She became the strongest strategist in the game through self-study.
Her talent and effort must have been beyond what I could imagine.
Fuu Senkou started studying a lot of books about her master, and I'm really curious about how much she can learn.
I think it would be a loss for Aika Country if we ignore her talent.
"Heki Nei-san, Kou-san. I have a suggestion for you."
I straightened my posture and bowed.
Then I began to tell them what I was thinking.
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