Chapter 70: 041. Imperial Prince is Searching for a Weapon -1 (Part Two)
**
The drill hall was located within the citadel.
As befitting of the empire’s mining area, which was also renowned for being its greatest armoury, all corners of the drill hall were decorated with every kind of weapon imaginable.
Hilda began picking out weapons that matched my physique and tossed them my way.
“Even if you’re my younger brother from a different mother, I still should have paid more attention to you.”
She tossed a spear, mace, sword, greatsword, morning star, steel chains, a pair of gauntlets, and then finally, a shovel.
I stared dazedly at the weapons strewn about on the floor before looking back at Hilda.
“Now that I think about it, this is our first meeting since Lady Yulisia’s funeral, isn’t it?”
A few dwarves walked up to me. Even if Hilda said she wouldn’t attack, this was still a duel. At the very least, as a formality, they began putting leather armour on me.
“Back then, I was also too young and was recently given stewardship of this territory, so I was unable to look after you properly. When I heard the rumours that you had become a mangnani, I couldn’t help but wonder how a child as kind as you would change so much like that.”
While talking about her past regrets, she reached out and grabbed a spear shaft nearby. It was a spear meant to be used in sparring sessions with its edges made out of wood.
“But now that I look at you, that doesn’t seem to be it, either. I don’t know what you’ve experienced during your banishment, but seeing how much your atmosphere has changed, you must’ve gone through some unimaginable things.”
She sucked in a deep breath before fixing her gaze on me.
“If you haven’t come to see me like this, then I still wouldn’t have paid you any attention. For that, I can only apologise to you.”
She then tightly gripped the spear shaft.
“Even though my mother wouldn’t be too happy about this, we are still siblings, so I shall make sure to look after you during your stay here.”
I ended up smiling bitterly at what Hilda said.
The first impression I got from the Holy Emperor Kelt Olfolse was ‘disinterest’. As for Luan, it was ‘hatred’.
But at least with Hilda, I could sense ‘consideration’ from her.
It seemed that someone in the Imperial Family really did care about the Seventh Imperial Prince, then.
“Now, come and attack me. Let us discover what kind of weapon suits you the most.”
I picked up the sword first, and then glanced at Hilda.
Her expertise in spearmanship was truly extraordinary. Even if someone handed me a treasure sword, I still wouldn’t be able to touch her hair, never mind her main body.
Even though I knew that, I still gripped the weapon tightly and rushed towards her, before taking an almighty swing.
Hilda’s spear brushed aside my sword and quite easily flung it out of my grip.
“Next.”
I picked up the spear next. She flung it out of my hands too.
We tried the mace, the morning star, steel chains, and other available weapons. Eventually, even the shovel was flung out of my grip in the end.
The dwarves standing in the corner of the drill hall watched us and diligently jotted down something on a piece of paper.
After Hilda glanced at them, they shook their heads in response.
She ruefully licked her lips, then while gripping the spear, she addressed me, “Again. Let’s start from the beginning once more.”
Just like that… How many hours passed by like this?
“L-let’s just stop, please!”
I was lying spread-eagled on the drill hall’s floor, completely exhausted. My breathing was heavy and rough.
My eyes caught the sight of Hilda’s grinning mug as she squatted beside me.
“You did well,” said Hilda.
“…This is unfair. Someone’s collapsed on the floor out of exhaustion, but the other person hasn’t even broken a sweat?”
“Well, that’s obvious since I train every single day.”
Hilda then stood back up. She turned her head as the dwarves walked over to us.
“Your highness. His highness’s proficiency with all the weapons seems to be about the same. However, we don’t believe he’s particularly talented in handling any one of them.”
“As for the shovel, we can tell that his proficiency with it is quite good, but it’s still not suitable for combat, judging from his movements.”
“In addition, everything seems to be somewhat inefficient. Although his movements do indicate that he’s used to actual combat, his physical attributes are simply too lacking, your highness. As such, determining what his highness’s potential weapon can be will remain difficult.”
“I see.” Hilda rubbed her chin in contemplation. “His physical attributes are lacking…”
She glanced at me still lying flat on the ground.
“…In that case, we just have to improve his physique.”
“If you want me to train, then I’d like to politely decline now.”
There was no bloody way that a training regime Hilda comes up with would be a simple exercise routine. No, I bet it’d be as hardcore as the training that the Imperial Court’s Paladins go through, which was designed to bring out one’s best during an actual combat situation.
An extreme training that broke your bones and tore apart your tendons, that sort of a training regime. I came here to take a break, so I would have to unequivocally decline any invitation to partake in such training.
Hilda continued to stare at me on the floor and pondered something for a bit before opening her mouth. “Allen, I heard that you’re capable of using ‘Divine Aura’. That ability probably strengthens the essence of a weapon. Am I correct?”
“How did you know that?”
“Master weapon craftsmen live in this area. They read the reports about you and made a judgement based on the information provided.”
After hearing her say that, the dwarves around us suddenly began standing taller with straighter backs.
“Let’s find your most suitable weapon while you activate that power.”
“Hang on a minute here, we gotta do this again?”
“Finding a weapon that suits you is not a matter that can be solved in one or two days.”
I facepalmed at Hilda’s response.
And so, I spent the following week sparring with Hilda. A few dwarves were always present to observe our matches.
I collapsed to the floor in exhaustion several times.
Incredibly, I couldn’t even land a single blow on her during that time.
Luan’s movements back then were dulled by his body rotting away, but in comparison, Hilda was a skilled fighter with a skillset moulded in the heat of actual battlefields. I was told that she was powerful enough to hunt a lycan all by herself, even if that lycan was only a blood-creation.
I plopped down on the floor in exhaustion yet again. And the dwarves were shaking their heads again as well.
“As we thought, his highness’s physical attributes are simply too lacking. At this rate, making a decision will be too difficult, my lady.”
“Is that so?”
I could only tut inwardly.
This body of mine belonged to a mangnani. Let’s not forget that I was a Priest, and a Necromancer, to boot.
I wasn’t some monster who started training from a young age, so my physical abilities and reaction speed must’ve looked really pathetic from the standards of these dwarves.
“In that case, Allen.”
“…?”
“Use divinity from now on.”
“Divinity, you say?”
“I heard that you’re quite talented in the ways of magic. And you must know by now that divinity can be utilised to fortify one’s physique.”
“Yes, of course. However, I’ve never actually tried that before.”
I nodded slowly. Honestly, I couldn’t remember a single time when I tried to raise this body’s attributes in that manner before.
“In that case, try to strengthen yourself during our next sparring. Use Divine Aura as well. I’m sure it won’t be easy in the beginning, but if you do have the requisite talent, then you might uncover something from it.”
I nodded once more at her suggestion.
That evening, I got permission from Hilda and entered the citadel’s library to go through the magic grimoires stored there. Most of my focus was with the body reinforcement type magic.
As I delved into my studies, someone suddenly called out to me.
“Your highness?”
It was Alice. After arriving at this place along with her grandfather the archbishop, she basically confined herself in the library, devoting all of her time in studying magic.
I looked behind her before saying anything. Thankfully, Archbishop Raphael wasn’t with her this time.
She stood there with a lantern in her hand, her face clearly frozen stiff under the flickering light. It was an expression of fear.
She probably ended up recalling what happened in the past.
Even if I resurrected Luan and earned the trust of the Imperial Family again, to her eyes I was still the same villain that tried to force himself on her.
Her gaze eventually headed to the book in my hand. Only then did her frightened expression disappear in an instant as if it was all a lie. Curiosity began filling up the sparkling light in her eyes, instead.
“…Don’t mind me. You go ahead and do what you came here to do,” said I, before returning my eyes to the book.
While standing at a safe-enough distance away from me, she cautiously asked. “Could you perhaps be researching the topics of body reinforcement type magic, your highness?”
I tilted my head at her question.
**
Night came to an end, and morning came to visit us once more.
As usual, my sparring session with Hilda commenced again. The dwarves were still present with notes in their hands. They also didn’t forget to prepare towels and water for me to drink.
They were fully expecting me to collapse in exhaustion again today.
They shifted their gazes to look at me and Hilda, and that served as the signal for the sparring to begin.
And when that happened…
“…!!!”
Almost as soon as it began, everyone’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Even Hilda and I had to clamp our mouths shut from the pure shock too.
…Because the moment the weapon I wielded collided with her spear, the latter’s weapon which was meant for sparring purposes broke and shattered into pieces, that’s why.
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