Chapter 73: A New Wave (9)
Who was the strongest swordsman among the Seven Heroes?
Most people answered that question with the na Allen Amiel.
However, there were occasionally those who ntioned the Dragon Emperor Behad, or even Cecilia Everglenn.
……Yes, Cecilia was also a swordsman.
The title of Spirit King was simply too imnse, but as a pure swordsman, she also stood among the first-rate.
And if one had to point out the most distinctive trait about her as a swordsman, there was a swordsmanship that was almost considered her exclusive domain, known among the public as the ‘Arrow.’
It was said that her strikes looked as though an arrow had been fired.
I heard that the trajectory of her sword would even change midair.
That the buzzing sound it made resembled the sound of an arrow being loosed….
I had heard countless stories, but never once had the chance to witness it with my own eyes.
Perhaps that was why it took
a little too long to realize it.
‘So this is the Arrow.’
Maybe I had just beco the first opponent of what would later be rembered as a legend.
……That thought had to be set aside.
Because at that mont, I had no room to think of anything but moving my body desperately in order to survive.
There had been more than one chilling mont when her blade barely grazed past .
‘And on top of this, the spirits could join in the fight……?’
It was nothing short of absurdity.
Most people, even if forewarned, would still be helpless against it.
The only reason I was able to endure even this much was because her swordsmanship had yet to reach completion, and because the spirits had not joined in.
Beeeep!
Before I knew it, the cry of the mist bird rang out across the training field, signaling that ti was up.
The mont I had been waiting for, I quickly retreated and straightened my stance.
“……Thank you for the match.”
Suppressing the urge to let out a heavy breath, I gave a short bow toward Cecilia, who stood across from .
‘At least I managed to end this without making a fool of myself.’
It would have been quite embarrassing otherwise.
Relieved that it hadn’t co to that, I saw Cecilia also step back a few paces, almost as if bouncing away.
For so reason, she wore an expression that seed rather regretful……
But soon enough, she straightened her posture, just like , and returned the bow.
“Thank you for the match.”
While I was putting away my wooden sword, I suddenly noticed that she was staring at
intently.
She seed to want to say sothing, but instead, she simply continued to look at
without a word.
“……”
It looked as though she was waiting for my impressions.
It would have been one thing if I hadn’t noticed, but since I had, I couldn’t just pretend otherwise.
In the end, wiping away the sweat trickling down my jaw, I quietly muttered.
“You’ve grown…… considerably stronger.”
“……! Do you really think so?”
Cecilia’s eyes sparkled, and in a single step she drew closer to .
Feeling the sudden weight of her presence, I subtly turned my head aside so it wouldn’t show.
“……Yes. Honestly, I’m not in much of a position to judge, but compared to before, I definitely found it more difficult to face you.”
“And then?”
“Well…… as with anything, specializing in one aspect usually ans another aspect becos relatively neglected.”
Though my words were little more than textbook reasoning, Cecilia nodded seriously with an eager expression.
“It’s like in board gas too. If you play defensively, you rarely lose by much, but likewise, you also rarely win big. On the other hand, if you play aggressively, you can win overwhelmingly, but when you lose, you lose just as badly…… Hm, I’m fumbling with my words now….”
“No, it’s fine. I understood perfectly.”
Cecilia exhaled softly with a small “hmph” and said,
“Lian’s words are always so clear and easy to understand.”
“Even if that’s just flattery, I appreciate it.”
“It’s not flattery, it’s the truth.”
After speaking, she nodded firmly, several tis.
The mist bird and the Serpent of Fla that had approached her also bobbed their heads up and down, as if imitating her.
Feeling an inexplicable embarrassnt, I cleared my throat lightly.
“Ahem, let
continue. By my earlier reasoning, I should have found more openings in today’s sparring compared to before. But instead, it was harder to find any.”
“Could it be simply because I fought more aggressively? Maybe because I pushed forward quickly?”
“Well, not exactly……”
I hesitated, and she nodded, as if telling
it was fine.
“I don’t mind, so just be honest. The one who sparred with
just now was you, Lian. What I want is your impressions.”
“In that case, please keep in mind that these are only my impressions, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t take them too seriously.”
Since it was sothing Cecilia might take sensitively, I once again gathered my thoughts carefully before speaking.
“Previously, your stance was the textbook stance of Imperial swordsmanship.”
“Yes, it was.”
“First of all, I do believe even back then Cecilia’s skills were certainly above average, outstanding even.”
“……Even if that’s just flattery, thank you.”
Hearing her mutter those words almost bashfully, I couldn’t help but respond with a faint smile.
“It’s not flattery, it’s the truth.”
And it truly was no flattery.
In truth, although Cecilia was mocked at the Academy as talentless, when it ca down to it, she was closer to being gifted than dull.
However, because her control over mana was practically disastrous, and because as the descendant of the Dragon Knight Siren Everglenn she couldn’t properly ride even a single horse, let alone a wyvern, she had beco the target of scorn and ridicule.
If one set aside those two things, her other talents and abilities all exceeded the average to a remarkable degree……
Yet, those two shortcomings were so striking that she still bore the label of the “Disgrace of the Everglenn family.”
‘In fact, when it ca to swordsmanship, she was far more refined and polished than either
or Allen.’
Even so, whenever the three of us sparred, the one with the lowest win rate had always been Cecilia.
In my case, experience from my past life allowed
to surpass her, while Allen’s superior physical strength and abilities were unmatched among our peers.
“To return to the point, Cecilia’s swordsmanship just now…….”
It was certainly fierce, like arrows raining down in a storm.
And yet, it wasn’t as though she neglected defense for the sake of pure offense.
There were openings, to be sure, but each one felt deliberately placed, almost like a lure, making them too dangerous to recklessly exploit.
‘But with just two or three low-grade spirits by her side, she could have easily filled those gaps.’
Suddenly, sothing crossed my mind.
Yes, if I had to put it into words……
“It felt like a swordsmanship crafted solely for Cecilia…… a swordsmanship ant for a swordsman who wields spirits.”
“……You really are amazing.”
A murmur of admiration suddenly escaped Cecilia’s lips.
She seed lost in deep thought for a mont, then nodded once more.
“Yes, truly amazing.”
When the agreed ti was up, Lian left the training ground first, saying he’d be going on ahead.
Normally, she would have wrapped things up quickly and gone with him, but today she had sothing else to attend to, so she remained behind alone.
[That much I already suspected, but Sir Lian truly has a sharp eye, my lady.]
A beautiful female voice, like the sound of a song, echoed in Cecilia’s ear.
The owner of the voice was none other than the Mist Bird.
[Now I understand why the Elder told us to observe carefully!]
The Serpent of Fla cried out in the shrill voice of a young boy, flicking its tongue and bobbing its head gleefully.
The Serpent of Fla seed utterly carefree, coiling and uncoiling beside Cecilia, twisting its body as if hopping about, never ceasing in its movent.
“Yes, he really is amazing, isn’t he?”
Her ancestor whom she had t in the Room of mories, the Dragon Knight Siren Everglenn, had been entirely different from what she had expected.
In countless records and stories, he was depicted as being serious and solemn to the core. Yet in reality, he had dashed up to her upon eting, greeting her warmly with a handshake and brimming friendliness.
He even told silly jokes, or laughed at strange antics of his own making, leaving her completely at a loss.
‘I thought he’d have a personality like my brother’s.’
Oh dear, wasn’t that thought a little too rude?
Murmuring to herself, Cecilia recalled once again the words her ancestor—the great hero lauded as the Dragon Knight Siren Everglenn—had spoken to her.
[My apologies. Unfortunately, I know little about spirits. At best, my comrades could barely manage a few low-grade ones.]
[That’s why I still can’t believe it. How did such a treasure co forth from my bloodline?]
[And judging by your stance, it seems you’ve been diligently practicing the swordsmanship I left behind…… Truly, I couldn’t be more proud!]
With a booming laugh that clashed with his refined appearance, he had insisted on teaching her sothing before parting, and created a swordsmanship just for her on the spot.
More precisely, he had instantly devised an entirely new style tailored exclusively to her.
“……”
Her physique and favored weapons.
Her preferred stances and even her minor habits.
On top of that, the fact that she could command spirits……
With only a single bout against her, he had grasped and analyzed all of these.
And as if that weren’t enough, in the blink of an eye, he had forged a brand-new style of swordsmanship.
Even Cecilia, who rarely found herself surprised, had been astounded by such talent and ability.
The man himself had only scratched his cheek awkwardly, as if embarrassed at the feat.
[I designed it under the assumption that you’d be fighting alongside spirits, but truth be told, I’ve only rarely seen spirit sorcerers in battle…… No doubt there will be awkward flaws here and there. When the ti cos, do seek
out again.]
He had also added that most opponents wouldn’t even withstand the first strike, and that if possible, she should avoid letting others see it.
At first, she had been skeptical.
But the more she honed her swordsmanship, the more she could feel her growth day by day, and once again she realized that heroes of legend were truly legends for a reason.
However……
‘But against Lian, none of it worked.’
The attacks that should have overwheld most opponents before they could even respond.
The traps deliberately made to look like openings.
And even the actions of the nature spirits that subtly aided her while hindering Lian.
Not a single one of them worked on him.
On the contrary, he slipped past them by a hair’s breadth, as if to admonish her, guiding her to realize her shortcomings on her own.
And more than anything, those words he had spoken at the end.
‘It felt like a swordsmanship crafted solely for Cecilia…… a swordsmanship ant for a swordsman who wields spirits.’
How had he seen through it?
Cecilia could do nothing but marvel once again.
Every ti she caught a glimpse of the true side of Lian Gwendil, that was the only reaction she could show.
“……Truly amazing.”
[Indeed, my lady. Sir Lian is without question a man worthy of being by your side.]
[That’s right! I think so too!]
The Mist Bird and the Serpent of Fla, who had co to her side before she noticed, each chid in.
The Mist Bird, perching delicately on Cecilia’s shoulder, preened its feathers with its beak as it spoke.
[And Lady Cecilia, your gentle ntion of the festival once again was a very wise choice. After all, introducing each other’s families carries profound aning.]
“……Really?”
[Oh yes, indeed.]
The Mist Bird cleared its throat softly.
[Most of all, close friends are ant to be close and familiar with each other’s families as well.]
At those words, Cecilia’s eyes sparkled as she gave a small nod.
Close friends.
Since she and Lian were as close as friends could be, introducing each other’s families would not be strange at all.
‘Elder Sister said she would be attending this ti.’
Cecilia’s elder sister, Selendis, was the Vice-Commander of the Dragon Knights that guarded the capital.
That was why she would be present at the upcoming Departure Festival. Cecilia had received a letter saying that her sister would make ti, no matter what, so that they could et face to face.
‘……What a sha.’
By contrast, Lian’s second elder brother was a mber of the Imperial Knights, but since he was attached to the First Imperial Prince and had no connection with the Academy, he would not be coming this ti.
It had been a passing comnt, but she rembered it clearly.
She had hoped they could both et each other’s siblings……
Still, she decided to be content with at least being able to introduce Lian to her elder sister.
“Elder Sister also said she wanted to see Lian.”
[Is that so?]
“Yes, she said that after reading my letters where his na kept coming up, she wanted to et him in person and see what kind of friend he is.”
It was certain that her sister would like Lian when she t him.
After all, Cecilia could not even imagine what kind of circumstance it would take for soone to dislike a person like him.
‘But why did Elder Sister write sothing like that in her letter?’
― Just how wise and thoughtful a friend must he be, to have captured your heart so perfectly?
― Surely he must be as gentle and beautiful as your heart. I, too, greatly look forward to eting this boy nad Lian.
If anything, wasn’t it more fitting to call him dignified and dependable, rather than gentle and beautiful?
She wondered whether “gentle and beautiful” was even a phrase commonly used for n, but quickly accepted it with a nod.
‘Well, it’s not entirely wrong.’
Gentle ant kind and mild, and beautiful ant possessing harmony and balance that pleased the eye.
By that reasoning, calling him gentle and beautiful was not wrong at all.
‘Elder Sister will surely think Lian is gentle and beautiful as well….’
Twinge.
‘……Huh?’
In that mont, Cecilia froze as she felt a strange discomfort in her chest.
It was a sensation she had never felt before.
‘What is this?’
If she introduced them, her sister would surely like Lian.
And Lian would certainly like her sister.
Because both of them were good people.
But for so reason…
The odd discomfort pricked at her chest again when she beca aware of it.
[My lady?]
“……Ah, sorry.”
Tilting her head slightly, Cecilia shook it off, thinking it must be nothing.
She was still far too inexperienced to recognize what that discomfort truly was.
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