The lecture started.
The ‘Swordsmanship Practice Class’ taught by Prof. Derek was a class akin to any other normal practical training class. What you mainly do is either swing swords, duel, or grab a blade and participate in the subjugation of low-ranking beasts.
Even if it wasn’t for the lecture, it was something that all students in the Knight’s Faculty would have to do. That’s why swordsmanship practice classes have always been popular.
If it’s something I have to do anyway, it would be nice if I could get a decent enough grade.
And above all else, it’s not just the Knight’s Faculty, which focuses mostly on the body. There were a lot of other people who preferred to move their bodies and break a sweat rather than racking their brains out and getting a headache in the classroom while trying to learn the theoretical jargon.
However, today’s lecture did not feel as enthusiastic as usual. The reason was simple. It was because the attention of the students who should focus on training was focused on someone else.
Needless to say, that ‘someone’ was me. I’m starting to get a headache.
Everyone was looking at me with anticipation, but to be honest, I wasn’t confident I could beat Seria. I didn’t even know what I did last week.
Fortunately, there was a clue. ‘Since you only dealt with magical beasts, your muscles are honest.’ But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand it.
Does it mean I should try observing the movements of my opponent’s muscles during the frantic duel?
Even if he had that level of observational power, he would not be able to see the parts covered by clothes. It was a real challenge.
I couldn’t find an answer even after agonizing over it for a long time, and as I was about to give up, I decided to just swing my sword for now.
Perhaps because of the lack of strength in my body, the slash was clean. Looking back, the amount of mana seems to have gone up a bit, and the blood vessels seem to have expanded quite a bit.
What the hell has happened in the last week? Once again, the question emerged in my mind, but soon I decided to quell it.
Even so, I wasn’t at a level that could reach Seria Yurdina. She was a person who had been honing her heavenly talents all her life. It was impossible to close that gap in a week.
I was swinging my sword mindlessly, and before I knew it, Prof. Derek approached me.
Brown hair, a scar across the middle of his face, and even his wrinkled, tanned body.
His physique appeared so robust that it was hard to believe that he was going to be old soon. He had a manly, firm physique which he once used to chase after beasts and earn riches.
He watched me wielding his sword with his arms crossed and then said in a cheerful voice.
“You have improved.”
“……Yes?”
I had no choice but to question his sudden compliment. Despite my absurd gaze, Prof. Derek only smiled and nodded. His hand stroked his shaggy beard.
“You didn’t lose to that bloodlust. That’s very good. Your sword I saw last time was made for the purpose of killing someone. Of course, if you achieve this level, a terrifying killer sword would be born, but there is no point in becoming a human who feels no emotion when killing someone.”
He seemed to be referring to the ‘Mind Theory’ that older swordsmen blindly believed in. Of course, it was common knowledge that the mind was important in swordsmanship.
It was because it was the mind, not the body, that controlled the magic. You can advance to a higher level only when you achieve a stronger visage. There is a good reason why the academy forced the swordsmen and knights to learn the theories and meditation.
However, in recent years, this ‘psychology’ has also been subjected to scrutiny. This is because some swordsmen began to think of ‘Mind Theory’ as a kind of ‘Omnipotence Theory’, but this was criticized as being somewhat unscientific.
Training can only bring out the best efficiency only when adequate rest and nutritional intake are combined. However, some swordsmen used to wield their swords to the limit using their determination. As that was the only way you can train your mind.
It was a stupid idea. At least the younger generations of swordsmen no longer followed such practices. Unless you were a high-ranking aristocrat who could use healing potions like water.
One of the principal ideas of the swordsmen who blindly believed in such a theory was that the sword changed according to their mindset. However, unless you reach the state of realizing your mental image of the sword, you will never realize the true essence of swinging the sword.
Prof. Derek, who met my perplexed gaze, immediately clicked his tongue. It was a reaction to knowing this would happen..
“Do you think I am wrong? But I know very well how much mental strength can help in a battle of life and death. If you are in a crisis, it forcefully awakens your inner potential, you got that?”
What should I do? It’s Prof. Derek’s saga. If he went on like this, I would have to listen to him for dozens of minutes. While I was devising a reasonable excuse to get out of this corny hell, Prof. Derek continued to speak.
“And above all else, if you don’t balance your body and mind, it’s easy for problems to appear. For example, your eye sees the arrow, but the body cannot follow through, or if the way to hide your intention is immature, the body will reveal the signs…….”
“Yes. Prof Derek…No, wait. Are you familiar with hiding your intentions?”
I was about to bid him farewell in a polite tone, but I was startled by Prof. Derek’s next words and had no choice but to ask.
Your way of hiding your intentions is immature. It was a sentence I had heard somewhere.
Prof. Derek seemed happy that a young man had taken an interest in his words. He was even more excited and began to share his experiences.
“Yes, you don’t have enough experience in fighting highly intelligent enemies yet, right? You see, there’s an intuition that can be sensed only in a life and death duel… you don’t feel it when you’re dealing with low-level enemies, but when you’re dealing with a skilled enemy, you get a feeling, ‘Ah, that guy is already aware of my every move.’”
“How is that possible?”
In response to my question, which I had agonized over for a long time, Prof. Derek kept his mouth shut and looked at me with vacant gaze.
But it didn’t make sense to me. ‘You get a feeling?’ How the hell am I supposed to feel it?
“Is it instinct? If you risk your life in a battle with a tough opponent, at that moment, you can sense what your opponent is going to do.”
Perhaps he found my question quite amusing, and Prof. Derek let out a squeaky laugh, stroking his beard once more. But it didn’t change his answer.
“Yes, it is. Of course I once thought like you, ‘Isn’t that just instinct?’ like this. However, the world of martial arts is vast and deep. You will find out someday.”
And then, Prof. Derek tapped my shoulder a few times with that ironclad hand, then turned away. I pondered for a moment, then asked before he moved further.
“Prof. Derek.”
His deep blue eyes glanced at me. I quickly asked a question before his interest faded.
“…… So, how many have reached that level?”
Then, Prof. Derek smirked. As if he had heard an interesting question.
“None of you guys at least! You have to be at least a senior, maybe a 3rd grader?”
In other words, it meant that Seria had not reached the level of binding her intentions and knowing the opponent’s thoughts.
If so, I understood the meaning of the clue, but one crucial problem remained.
The issue was that I myself hadn’t reached that point yet.
The answer was clear, but I couldn’t apply it as I lacked the necessary ability.
This was truly a dire situation. I took a deep breath and looked at the place where I sensed a gaze from.
Seria Yuridna stood there glaring with burning eyes.
Yes let’s die.
In my mind, I left a will to my parents, my brother, my sister, Leto and Celine.
I had a feeling that today was going to be a long day.
****
“There, senior Ian.”
It was near the end of the lecture. Everyone was either sharpening their swords, preparing for the next lecture, or enjoying a little leisure.
I was talking with Celine, praying that the day would quickly pass.
However, the Lord, dissatisfied with my faith and devoutness to them, trampled on my hopes mercilessly.
Seria Yurdina was standing right in front of me.
As always, she was beautiful. The gray hair make her look elegant rather than dull, and even her face, which was always rigid, matched her beauty, emphasizing the beauty of an ice sculpture.
She was such a beautiful woman, but to me right now, I could only see her as a grim reaper coming from the underworld to reap my soul.
I couldn’t help but lament my misfortune.
Celine, who was talking with me, also turned stiff at Seria’s sudden appearance.
It was because it was obvious why Seria was coming to me. Anyone could tell just by looking at the attention of all the students now.
The eyes of onlookers, sparkling with that anticipation.
“Ha, please give me one– ah, can I ask you for guidance?”
She was coming for revenge
She bit her tongue once, probably because she was too nervous, but her purpose remained unchanged.
Seria’s face turned bright red. The way she bowed her head was pretty cute. If she had been a little more lively, she would have received the love of her seniors.
But even her adorable charm felt intimidating to me now. It was even more difficult to refuse her offer.
I was too anxious to give her any guidance as her senior. Should I just run away?
Even before today’s lecture started, I recalled how I confidently spoke to Thean, ‘Since I’ll be taking part in the duel later, I need to loosen up a bit.’
Had I known that the situation was that serious, I would not have uttered such words.
At this time, it was Celine who tried to become my savior. She pretended to be restless and bewildered, then said as if she had suddenly remembered something.
“Ahhh! Come to think of it, Ian Oppa* has an appointment with me later…….”
“It’s fine.”
But before she could finish her excuse, I cut her off in a resigned tone. Celine looked at me in tears.
At first, she said that she didn’t care whether I died or not, but those words seemed to be lies. Taking comfort in Celine’s reaction, I smiled bitterly.
“Won’t I eventually have to fight, anyway? If not today, it will be tomorrow.”
“…… Yes.”
Seria nodded resolutely in silence. If I could, I would have avoided the fight altogether.
There was no way I could have a sharp growth in a day or two. Rather, I didn’t want to have that blood curling feeling and anxiety as I was escaping for my life.
If I’m fated to be beaten, it would be better to be beaten earlier than later. At the end I nodded my head.
“Fine then, let’s fight.”
As if she was happy when I granted her permission, Seria’s stone cold face instantly turned red. I could even see the illusion of an exclamation mark floating over her head. She had a smile resembling that of a delicate flower.
Either way, I was just walking to the arena located in the center of the knights training ground, kicking my tongue.
I fucked up today. In the meantime, I thought that still, since it will be for injury related reasons, at least I won’t get a deduction in points for my non-attendance.
With Prof. Derek’s permission, we walked to the extreme ends of the ground hearing the roaring noise in the background.
I stared at the cold eyes resembling sapphire, but couldn’t read anything in them. I shouldn’t have relied on Prof. Derek.
It was bullshit. I couldn’t feel anything.
Then there was only one answer. With that in mind, I took a stance. And with the loud cry of Prof. Derek announcing the start of the duel.
“Well then, let’s start!”
Swish, I saw Seria rushing at me with cold eyes.
The next moment, with a dull sound, my body flew through the air.
—-
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