After clearing away the shattered pieces of the potion for becoming a woman, Darling presented another bottle to Kraush.
This one is a different version of the transformation potion. The effect lasts for a week, and its a special custom-made product that wont be detected by magic or doping tests.
Considering what had been destroyed just monts ago, Kraush assud this wouldnt be the sa kind of potion. He examined the contents of the bottle he received.
Is this for disguising my identity?
You can just register as a commoner from the kingdom.
It should have been this way from the start.
By the way, I imagined this appearance when I thought of what your character would look like as a kid.
Though Darling was spouting nonsense, Kraush took it in stride.
It seed the potion could be useful for the martial arts tournant.
This works out well.
He needed to absorb more of the power of world erosion to use his extre blood poisoning technique.
The lawless area between the kingdom and the Empire, where world erosion was frequent, would be a good place to visit and absorb this power when ti permitted.
Above all, are you confident you can rank within the top three?
Darling asked this with a subtle smile.
Until recently, Kraush had been known as the half-penny of the Balheim.
Asking soone like him to place within the top three in a grand martial arts tournant held by the Empire seed preposterous.
Of course, that was if Kraush had remained his forr self.
The participants in the martial arts tournant are all guys who havent yet secured a spot at the Raheln Academy.
Those who had already confird a place at Raheln Academy wouldnt need to participate, as they were preparing for the exams put forth by the Academy.
It was unfortunate that this ant there would be almost no one who had made a contract with a god among the contestants.
After all, there arent that many who have contracted with gods.
Its just that the Balheim is exceptionally outstanding; in normal families, only about one in five have a contract with a god.
Therefore, Kraush had even more reason to aim for the Academy.
Because thats where all the kids with skills are gathered.
And most importantly.
Ill be 14 years old when the tournant is held.
The martial arts tournant in which Kraush would participate was for boys under 15 years of age.
Kraush was still only 14.
I wont lose to kids.
No matter how talented they are, they can still be overco by a gap in experience.
After all, even Anicks had been overpowered by Kraush.
Apart from soone of Charlottes talents, Kraush was confident he could beat anyone in the Skyborne Generation.
Well, Im still technically a kid too, of course. But Ill soon turn 16. Im not a child anymore.
Lately, Darling had started applying slightly heavier eye makeup, asserting her adulthood with a twinkle in her eye.
Kraush simply pitied the gesture.
Only children like to think of themselves as grown-ups.
In that sense, Darling was still a child.
Thats enough. Ti for you to go.
Aw, I was hoping to hang out more since Im already here.
Youre almost an adult, shouldnt be mixing with kids.
Are you taking advantage of that now?
While Darling resisted leaving and Kraush urged her out, they argued back and forth.
In the midst of their exchange, the door to the room crept open.
As Kraush turned his head at the sound, Bianca stood there.
She appeared to have just woken up, with one side of her hair slightly pressed down, and after a brief look at the two, she muttered to herself.
An affair?
Where had she learned such a term?
Kraush quietly resolved to have a word with the chatty maidservant who had been by Biancas side.
On the Balheim training grounds.
Kraush stood still, sword in hand, opposite Crimson Garden.
Though his eyes were closed, Kraush was sensing far more information through his body than through his eyes alone.
The sixth sense he had honed through secret techniques.
While still rudintary in attainnt, the quantity of information perceived was overwhelmingly more than before.
Suddenly, Kraush felt a presence to his left.
Ching!
Without warning, his sword swiftly intercepted sothing at that spot.
What appeared there was a blade of wind.
Astoundingly, Kraushs sword had preemptively secured the spot even before the wind blade was ford.
If the sword hadnt moved before the wind blades appearance, it would have been unable to block it in the first place.
Simultaneously, a sense of impending threat reached him from his waist.
Kraushs sword once again preemptively filled the gap, nullifying the wind blade.
The movent was almost akin to precognition.
Ching, ching, ching, ching!
And it continued in succession.
Kraushs sword repeatedly occupied the space faster than the wind blades could manifest.
However, Kraush was enduring a state worse than when he would have been struck by the attack.
His breathing was erratic, and his arms were shaking more violently than ever before.
The sweat dripping from his entire body seed to be leading him swiftly toward exhaustion.
Thats enough.
Crimson Gardens voice rang out just as the wind blades ceased.
Cough!
Kraush gasped for air and tumbled to the ground.
Gasp, gasp, gasp.
Desperately trying to supply his lungs with oxygen, Kraush opened his mouth as wide as he could.
Watching him struggle, Crimson Garden let out a faint chuckle.
Is this the sixth sense you spoke of? Interesting. The experiences youve accumulated thus far have combined with your swordsmanship to create sothing quite fascinating.
What Kraush had just demonstrated was elevating his sixth sense to its limits to read his opponents intent in advance and counter with the realm of blunt swordsmanship.
Originally a sword technique even geniuses would find difficult to wield, Crimson Garden had noticed that Kraush, through the course of his training, was surprisingly well-suited to the blunt sword.
The prerequisites for the blunt sword are twofold: first, have no fear, and second, perfectly grasp the opponents intent. Those two things are even more crucial than the sword technique itself. And thats the domain that can only be built upon with experience, not talent.
Crimson Garden chuckled and casually poked Kraushs head with her foot.
You are remarkably exceptional in that regard. Your innate intuition for understanding your opponents intentions, when combined with the sixth sense, is producing sothing akin to precognition.
The only thing Kraush was born with was his sharp intuition.
The endless experience of grappling with world erosion alongside the Skyborne Generation.
Plus the sixth sense he had recently mastered.
It was the rging of these three elents that allowed Kraush to barely enter the threshold of blunt swordsmanship.
It was indeed a trendous skill, but Kraush faced one glaring problem.
But my body is in terrible shape. Whats the use of being able to foresee every attack? My physique simply cant keep up.
The essence of blunt swordsmanship is to anticipate and control the opponents moves, to the point of achieving spatial domination.
To the opponent, it might seem slow, but the blunt sword systematically overtakes all the opponents intentions.
In the end, the opponent can only watch powerlessly as the sword tightens its approach.
That is blunt swordsmanship.
However, all of this is aningless if you cannot actually block the attacks.
As proof, Kraush found himself in this pitiful state from using excessive muscle to block the wind blades.
His foresight wasnt matched by his bodys capability.
This must be the gap that talent creates.
Kraush was born with little to no physical prowess.
At least the Balheim bloodline granted him a sturdier body and slightly better recovery capabilities than average.
But even that was on a common level, sothing geniuses would naturally already possess.
Disastrous.
Crimson Garden briefly comnted, and Kraush, trembling arms and all, raised his head.
One more ti.
You just dont know when to quit, do you?
Kraushs fierce blue eyes sparkled vividly.
With his experience, secret techniques, skills, and even the addition of world erosion, this was all he could achieve.
If it were others, they would likely recognize their limits at this point and break down, but Kraushs will remained unyielding.
Watching this, Crimson Garden couldnt help but let slip an impressed laugh.
Thats why I took you on as my disciple.
She may have begun as a contract teacher, promising to grant him immortality.
But increasingly, Crimson Garden was growing fond of Kraush.
To her, talent was entirely aningless.
All she needed was a fierce heart capable of enduring her training.
With that alone, she could make Kraush the strongest.
But thats enough for today.
What?
Didnt you say so yourself? You have to leave today for the martial arts tournant to keep on schedule.
Upon hearing that the training would be concluding, Kraush, whose face had sourly contorted, quickly snapped back to reality.
Indeed, today was the departure day, just as she had said.
Training is important, but to , an elixir cos first for you. Theres nothing like it for transforming your pathetic body into sothing human.
Hearing that, Kraush had no choice but to rise from his spot.
His legs and arms were still shaking, but he toughed it out.
Damn, I need to get ready quickly.
Realizing he had spent too much ti in training, Kraush hastened his pace.
He quickly got dressed and washed up, then went to the prepared carriage.
Lord Kraush.
At that mont, Kraush found himself facing Alloid, who was waiting in front of the carriage.
The day Darling brought the color-changing potion, Kraush imdiately passed it on to Alloid.
Initially puzzled, Alloid realized it was the cure for his daughters color-changing disease and took leave to visit her.
And the next day.
Alloid ca to find Kraush, knelt before him, and with tears streaming down, expressed his gratitude.
He who had cherished his daughter so dearly that he contemplated betraying his master to save her was now so fulfilled by her recovery that he could die without regrets.
Dont die.
And to him, Kraush had said,
I saved your daughters life. Alloid, you are not to die until I allow it. That much I can demand as paynt, right?
Once he heard what followed, Alloid bowed his head before Kraush.
He deeply engraved in his heart who must be his master for the rest of his life.
That settles it.
Kraush felt that he could now forget the day from his past when Alloid died by poison.
He had cured Alloids daughter not just for the mans sake, but also because he wanted to erase a scene from his own mories.
Just the disappearance of his lifes first betrayal made Kraush feel much more at ease.
While Im gone, take good care of the Green Pine Pavilion.
Yes, I will ensure that no one enters, even if it is the Lord himself.
Hearing his firm promise, Kraush allowed himself a wry smile.
That was enough in terms of loyalty.
Leaving Alloid behind, Kraush approached the carriage.
There, in front of the carriage, Kraush faced a familiar figure.
The white-haired girl.
Bianca Hardenhartz.
She stood primly, holding a single bag in her hand.
Lord Kraush.
As always, she called his na in a regulated tone.
The reason she held a bag today was simple.
She was returning to Hardenhartz.
Her return to Hardenhartz was at the behest of Kraush.
She was to procure one of the two ingredients Darling had ntioned, the White Snow Hot Yang Spore.
Given her status, she would likely be able to acquire it without much trouble.
You rarely go ho, so feel free to take a good rest there if you want.
After all, his own return wouldnt happen anyti soon.
Yet Bianca shook her head.
Ill be back soon.
Back soon.
To her, the Green Pine Pavilion had also beco her ho.
Noticing the aning behind her words, Kraush couldnt help but let out a wry laugh.
Her treatnt in Hardenhartz wasnt very good.
Being cursed lowered her value as a noble.
And then there was himself, of Balheim, worth the least due to lacking talent.
In a way, Green Pine Pavilion might be the one place where Bianca could truly relax, just as much as Kraush could.
Kraush raised his hand and stroked Biancas head once.
Her pure white hair followed the movent of his hand, feeling gratifying to the touch.
Ill also co back soon.
Unaware that he had recently beco soft only towards Bianca, Kraush made that remark.
In the anti, Bianca opened her bag.
Out ca a lunchbox.
Wandering around yesterday, and you prepared this?
Who said to make it?
Eli did.
That figured.
It seed Biancas personal maid, Eli, had been chattering to her about sothing.
He had told her to be tight-lipped, to no avail it seed.
Ill enjoy it.
Despite the circumstances, Kraush accepted it because it was made by Bianca.
And it was tily, given his hunger from training.
Have a safe trip.
Biancas departure was scheduled after Kraushs.
Looking at her seeing him off, Kraush said he would return and boarded the carriage.
As the carriage started to rumble and move, Kraush peered through the window at Bianca standing quietly.
I suppose I wont be seeing that face every day for a while.
Looking so forlorn. You like that child that much, do you?
At that mont, Crimson Garden appeared by the window and quipped.
Its like having a sibling I never had. I guess thats why Im just uneasy.
It wasnt the sa as beforethe relationship with Bianca had gotten better.
And there was quite a bit of personal guilt.
Tsk, tsk, to call your fiancee a little sister just to see how you would address her after having a child of your own.
If you spout nonsense, Ill pluck every feather you have.
Giggle, as if you could catch .
Crimson Garden preened, deliberately looking defenseless, and Kraush could only click his tongue in response.
Instead, he opened the lunchbox.
Inside were sandwiches and a colorful salad.
Typical of Bianca, it felt efficiently packed with practical items.
How nice.
After taking a bite of the sandwich, Kraush rembered Biancas fondness for sweets.
On the way back from the Empire, he should buy so imperial-style chocolate for her.
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