Unchanged Samurai In Another World

Chapter 46: A Knight’s Lecture by a Samurai

In the silence that only Pina’s stifled sobs filled, Cross, who had been listening solemnly until this point, began to speak.

“Lord Renald. The reason I accepted this commission was out of interest in you. I, too, was born as the third son of a feudal lord in a country called Japan. As someone in a similar situation, I wanted to gauge the worth of the nobility here.”

Cross first disclosed his own background. Renald had known he was a foreigner but never dreamed he was from another country’s nobility, causing them to be so astonished they nearly jumped.

He further went on to explain that he held the status of a samurai, mentioning he had stumbled into this land while on a warrior’s pilgrimage.

“In my country, they also say, ‘A warrior who cannot fight has no value.’ However, this ‘fight’ doesn’t just refer to combat. It includes politics, construction, writing, accounting — it signifies battles within each of these fields. In essence, the value of a samurai is determined by whether or not one possesses the ability to protect one’s lands and people, through whatever means. Simply put, each person has a different stage for their contributions. That’s what it means by ‘the right talent for the right place.'”

Cross’s gaze intensified as he looked directly at Renald.

“Upon hearing your story, I felt that the worth of nobility in your country is, in the end, the same. You said that the nobles defending the borders are the ones most concerned about whether or not they wield magic, correct? That concern stems from whether or not they can be active on the battlefield to protect their lands and people. Perhaps, in blunt terms, the nobles here have confused ‘purpose’ with ‘means’? Magic may be necessary to protect one’s home or domain, but I think the means to achieve a purpose are not confined to magic alone.”

Renald was deeply moved by these words.

Since childhood, he had been called useless. The only ones who had ever contradicted this within his small circle of relationships were Pina and Raoul, yet every time they encouraged him, Renald had felt nothing but sympathy and a sense of wretchedness.

However, now, Cross was telling him that the worth of the nobility is not determined by whether or not one possesses magic. That a man who held no pity for him was sincerely saying so was significant.

“But… even if we set magic aside, I have no talents. There’s nothing I can do for Angila—”

“Is that so? Then tell me, can your liege travel down dangerous roads with only three people? Could your elder brother risk his life for maids and apprentices? Would your second brother be willing to grovel before mercenaries to fulfill his responsibilities? Even though I’ve just met you today, I believe there are things only you can do. Often, one’s own abilities are more clearly seen by others. Surely, Lord Pina, who has grown up with you, would know Lord Renald’s strengths quite well.”

In response to Cross’s question, Pina nodded vigorously.

“Sire, your good points are so numerous, I could talk about them all night without finishing.”

“I believe that a noble’s value is not absolute based on the presence or absence of magic, but rather, relative, depending on each person’s strengths. In short, you should live your life achieving your purpose in your own way.”

Renald could no longer hold back his tears.

Here was a noble from a foreign land telling him that even without magic, he had a place where he could make a difference. Acknowledging that there were things only he could do, Cross’s words carried the weight of experience and struck deeply into Renald’s heart.

After gazing at Renald for a while, Cross turned his attention towards Raoul and the apprentices.

“Raoul. And Axel, Aureik.”

At the call, the three straightened their backs and prepared to listen.

The words Cross spoke next were deeply profound, far beyond the usual musings of a noble’s son.

They began to understand that Cross was no ordinary man.

“I too, like you, have lived under the expectation to become a man worthy of being called a samurai since childhood. Based on my experience, I believe the difference between a samurai and a knight lies in the way we live. We samurai pursue how best to die for the pride we must protect. It is a course that ends in death, an inevitable conclusion of this impermanent life. For the certain day we die, we live each day to its fullest. We were raised to remind ourselves of death every morning.”

Living to die for one’s own pride…?

Raoul couldn’t fully grasp the meaning of these words.

For a knight, pride is still important. From the early days of training, they are taught to be nobler than others, to become examples for others, all in the service of their lord. He was ready to die for his lord, but for his lord’s sake, his pride was secondary.

“Our samurai conceive of our beliefs as a ‘path.’ This path varies greatly depending on the person, but they all lead to the same destination — death. Knowing this, we run straight without wavering, without veering off course, overcoming obstacles that block our way at the cost of our lives, and eliminating any who stand in our path. We call this ‘Bushido.’ The idea that one should run straight towards death without hesitation is what we consider to be a life of dignity.”

Rather than fearing death, embracing it as a proud destiny…

Indeed, the concept of Bushido that Cross described was vastly different from their own. A knight may try to overcome the fear of death, but a samurai embraces death as an honor. The difference between the two was immense.

“To live each day to its fullest because the day of one’s death is certain to come. One lives fully so that when the day comes to die, there are no regrets. A samurai has no intention of dying in bed. We desire to die gloriously in battle, built upon the mind, skill, and body we have cultivated. We wish to die joyfully, in a place befitting our Bushido. Understandably, such thoughts may be difficult for those who do not wield swords. Many might consider it madness. But, Lord Raoul, we do not care about what others think or say. Bushido is something we impose upon ourselves, something we trust in, something we wish for. We only look inward. Regardless of what others say, the question is whether we live in a way that does not disgrace our own Bushido. Ultimately, the essence of being a samurai boils down to this one point.”

Raoul was speechless.

Saria had described Cross as stubborn and difficult to reason with, and this made sense. For him, there was nothing that could outweigh his adherence to Bushido.

He had no regard for others, his eyes solely trained on his own Bushido. It was because of this unwavering belief that he did not prioritize opinions from around him.

“Lord Raoul, what is your pride?”

“That would be… to serve Lord Renald. I take pride in living as a knight for my lord.”

“Is that so? Then, is that something that can be changed by someone else’s word? What if your liege told you that you no longer needed to serve Lord Renald?”

Raoul was at a loss for words. He had decided that Renald would be his eternal lord, but he still considered himself a knight of the border baron’s house. If the lord commanded it, he would have to obey…

“Can’t answer, can you? Then let’s rephrase the question. If your liege were to try to kill Lord Renald, would you tolerate it?”

“Absolutely not! I will never allow anyone to harm Lord Renald as long as I live!!!”

Despite shouting louder than intended, Raoul noticed Cross was looking at him with a warm gaze.

“Bravo, your roar was magnificent. A retainer is not one who blindly trusts their overlord. Loyalty is not something enforced; it should be voluntary. Bow only to your pride. In short, if you have decided on a path, you need only stick to it.”

“If I’ve decided…?”

“If you take pride in serving Lord Renald, then there is no need to heed your liege’s opinion. You were weighing the border baron’s house against Lord Renald, weren’t you? Perhaps… no, the knight’s code — or in your situation, Bushido — had you uncertain which direction you should follow. But hasn’t the answer already become clear?”

So it was. I was hesitating.

Even while calling Renald my lord, I was still concerned with pleasing the border baron. Even while proclaiming him as my eternal lord, I still thought of myself as someone serving the border baron’s house.

“The moment you decide your knight’s code, all that remains is to live with passion. There’s nothing to fear. Let your spirit flow freely without being swayed by the surroundings and just keep moving forward on your own path.”

With these words from a man half his age, Raoul felt as though a weight had been lifted from his chest, bringing a refreshing clarity.

“So that’s… That’s how it should be, yes? It was so simple?”

The fog in his mind had lifted, the feeling of heaviness in his chest had vanished. He couldn’t believe how long he had been fixated on the past. Such regrets now seemed meaningless. All he had to do from here was to live wholeheartedly for Lord Renald alone.

As a knight who had lived for over fifty years, this was the moment Raoul’s knightly code was set.