I thought that the fact Bard feels so "light" despite still feeling old age was because of magic or something like that, but i think it is simply that... he shed some "weights" and found new things to compel him.
Those factors not only make him act on things in a new way, but the fact he can make that cut now after decades of never being able is because he now has a new deep understanding of himself and the world.
You know, there is a detail about this story that I really like... there is no "japanism" in how people and society work here, the author based the culture here in a more European mindset with some unique aspects and didn't put any of the most common aspects of Japanese culture in it.
I can't talk about the honorifics, because the translation team at least decided to not put them if they are there, but other things that became so common to see like the use of hashi or how society works I don't see being used.
I think it is because the author knows that those are cop-outs used by most authors because they don't want or don't have the ability to fully develop the world they are constructing, such details may look like little things but they are the ones that really matter when giving a world depth.