How to Live As a Returnee Munchkin Swordsman

1 – Return

Truthfully, memories from the distant past don’t come to mind clearly.

Just that among nobles, my personality was especially sh*tty?

And because of my dirty nature, many people tried to avoid me?

Even those memories are faint, so honestly I think my recollections are a bit embellished.

Was I really that bad? That’s the complacent thought.

After all, people tend to be endlessly tolerant about themselves.

But the scenery, buildings, moods, and smells I can barely remember now.

And especially after directly meeting ‘people’ again, I finally realized.

My past self, no, precisely my pre-return self… was quite the piece of trash.

“P-Please forgive me. J-Just give me thirty minutes and I will definitely bring perfect biscuits again…”

“Now now, calm down. I have no intention of punishing you just because a biscuit broke.”

I get flustered when faced with a problem that has no solution.

That was exactly my situation now.

I hadn’t even properly adapted to my body after returning, and was very confused to encounter this crisis I didn’t understand at all.

The refined teacups, soft aroma, varied assortment of biscuits.

At a glance, it seemed like an ordinary tea time… yet for some reason, the maid who brought me this tea was trembling in fear, head bowed deeply.

The reason was only one.

Simply because one of the brought biscuits was broken-.

It makes no sense but that was the reality.

And I know well what this behavior implies.

Clearly, ‘this has happened before’.

‘f*ck, no way.’

I wanted to violently shake my head and deny this reality.

What, I was that much of a piece of trash?

No matter how wrecked my life was, wasn’t this going too far?

Was the past not just forgotten, but actively prettified?

Amidst the chaos, the crisis continued.

“I-I’ll bring chocolate chip cookies you like right away. Please wait a moment.”

“…I like chocolate?”

“Eh? Ah, yes. Last time you told me to take away any light snacks I bring…”

…Just what kind of life did I live?

It was fascinating how I had the skill to sound like a total nutjob even saying the same words.

On top of that, my tastes seemed quite different.

The current me shudders at sweet foods, but the past me seems to have loved sugary stuff.

I heard food preferences are the hardest thing for people to change, but rolling around the battlefield can give you whole new tastes, it seems.

Anyway, tidbits about my past self continued piling up.

But sadly – the maid informing me had an unhappy expression.

She hesitated in her words, glanced up at me, then deeply realized something and lowered her head.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Stop.

Please stop apologizing already.

I can’t even imagine what sh*t my past nutjob self was up to, so I asked anxiously with a face full of unease.

“…What is it now.”

“I-I forgot your order last time for cookies with b-blueberries mixed in!! I have committed a mortal sin. I will definitely bring new biscuits with blueberries and chocolate chips again…!!”

“…….”

After hearing that, I just stopped thinking entirely.

f*ck.

Edgar Mulric, you irredeemable piece of trash.

Just die.

*

I was taken from the continent to another world 10 years ago.

I was born the second son of House Mulric of the Grand Mado family, and lived a satisfactory life lacking nothing. Perhaps thanks to the early education I received since childhood, I was chosen by the fate of ＜Mage＞ as soon as I became an adult.

But was it because I was simultaneously burdened by the fate of trash?

At the time, I had no desire to properly learn anything.

I just played around meaninglessly during my 3 years at the Hero Academy, and only learned freakish magics that were useless in combat.

I probably had no ambition at all.

In the competition to inherit the house, I had already lost out long ago to my elder brother and sister, both renowned genius mages. And I didn’t want to go to war to earn achievements and get a title in order to advance to the capital.

I must have arrogantly depended on my house’s power and lived frivolously.

And.

-Hey, newbie. Get up.

One day, I was suddenly taken from the continent to another world.

That was 10 years ago already.

When I opened my eyes, the smell of blood assaulted my senses all around, and the area was full of crude barracks, assorted weapons, and soldiers with vicious appearances.

And my response to the first soldier who called out to me.

I still remember that.

-Insolence! I am Edgar Mulric, second son of House Mulric of the Grand Mado family…

-Got multiple personalities? Pick up a sword if you don’t want a beating.

I was immediately rejected with a strike to the head, but still.

I don’t remember the exact emotions, but…

I think like now, back then I also wanted to deny that reality.

From an arrogant noble life, to the status of a mere soldier.

From my peaceful house territory, to a battlefield soaked in blood and steel.

I absolutely did not want to believe the situation around me had changed so drastically in an instant.

-Die…!!

-Ugh, argh! Spare me!!

The magic I learned from my house when young.

And the magic I learned at the Hero Academy for 3 years, they were all useless.

Not only did I not learn them properly in the first place, I didn’t even touch combat magic, so it was only natural.

Despite my ＜Mage＞ fate, on the battlefield I was just another soldier, worthless and taking arrows.

-Take up the sword, Edgar! Stab the enemies to death!!

But someone said it, didn’t they?

Humans are creatures of adaptation.

The fear of death was the greatest catalyst for adaptation.

With arrows flying past me and enemies charging to kill me sword in hand, I couldn’t just stand still.

I want to live.

To survive, I had to adapt to this new world.

And so I fought, and fought again.

A day, a week, a month, a year, three years…

The longer I fought, the more adept I became at adapting to this otherworld.

-Edgar. In recognition of your great merits in war, I now appoint you as an Imperial Knight. From today, you shall be granted minor nobility and a surname…

There were rewards at the end of arduous fighting.

From soldier to knight, from commoner to noble.

I steadily rose in social status in this new world.

While it was simply regaining my original status since I was already born a noble, for me who couldn’t even properly wield a sword before, becoming a noble by my own strength in this new world was truly an astonishing achievement.

And the astonishing achievements did not stop there.

-Knight of the Gale, Edgar. Appointed as Captain of the Imperial Guard!

-The Valroot swordsmanship, pride of the Empire, recreated under Edgar’s lead!

-Faster, even faster. Who can block Edgar’s swift blade?

A long yet short period depending on how you saw it.

In 10 years I left unbelievable accomplishments everywhere, personally writing a new history for the Empire.

I added new interpretations to the Valroot royal swordsmanship, completing its re-creation. I also expanded the Empire’s territory to its maximum, ending the long Great War.

In the end, my contributions were recognized and I assumed the role of Captain of the Imperial Guard, also earning the title of youngest Viscount.

My splendid accomplishments were a natural result of fully adapting to the new world.

And enabling me to achieve such feats…

No matter what anyone said, was my ‘talent with the sword’.

-Swordsmanship genius born of the era! None can match his swift blade.

-Only Edgar perfectly wields mana among knights. All swordsmen of the Empire should follow his example.

I had genius talent with the sword.

In truth, I had picked up swords a few times even in the original continent.

But I had never seriously tried, and of course being from House Mulric, such talent went undiscovered.

However, after coming to this world.

Facing repeated brushes with death on the battlefield finally brought out my talent.

Although this world had no heroes like the original continent who received ‘fates’, there were knights who trained their own swordsmanship, wielded mana, and evolved into transcendent existences.

I was one such knight who grew.

Especially helpful was my ability to handle ‘magical power’, called mana in this world.

In the traditional Mado House I was called a half-baked mage, but in this world it gave me a foundation to master mana from the first steps.

Anyway, after such a long time overcoming many crises, meeting many people, and accumulating many achievements, I who had lived those 10 years returned.

The place where I disappeared 10 years ago.

Back to the Hellan Continent where my original self was.

“…I really must accept it.”

There were so many precious connections I couldn’t forget.

My unit comrades who helped me through my ignorant early days, Knight Perrin who briefly became my swordsmanship teacher, Count Glenn who guided me when I first stepped into noble society…

They would all disappear like smoke, and these 10 years of memories would come to an end.

It was such a futile thing, but as time passed I could accept it again.

Just as I adapted to the new life in that world, now that I had returned I had to adapt to my current life again.

Knock knock knock-

“Sir Edgar, it’s Rae.”

And with a woman’s voice, I heard knocking sounds.