After reminiscing on my mories, Libert and I continued training, the echoes of our clashes reverberating through the training grounds.
Clang...!
The sound of tal eting tal filled the air as my blade collided with Libert's. Despite my strength advantage, he effortlessly guided my blade out of reach, his movents precise and fluid. With a swift maneuver, he struck on the chest with his dull sword, causing a sharp sting despite the lack of a cut.
"Looks like you heeded my advice, sir hero," Libert remarked, his tone laced with a hint of satisfaction. "The path your sword takes is much clearer now."
"Sticking to the basics isn't always the path to strength, but it does lay a solid foundation," I replied, acknowledging his point.
With determination, I dashed straight towards Libert, attempting a thrust. But as expected, my sword found only empty air as he effortlessly sidestepped my attack. Undeterred, I pivoted, seeking to continue the assault.
With a twist, I aid my strike at Libert once more, but again he blocked it effortlessly, his movents a graceful dance of defense and offense. In a swirling motion of his own, he deftly stabbed at my hands, causing a sharp pain to shoot through as his blade struck my palms.
"Ugh..." I grunted, the pain montarily overwhelming my senses. Instinctively, I released my grip on the sword, and before I could react, Libert's blade was at my neck, the tip pressing against my skin with a warning.
"I lost…" I admitted with heavy breath, raising my hands in surrender.
Libert smiled before tossing a towel my way.
"Your skills with the sword aren't bad, though one wouldn't call you a genius. But you are talented. Your ability to instinctively feel where to properly strike is a rare trait, even among the most skilled knights I've t. They usually hone that instinctual ability through hard-earned experience," he comnted, his words carrying both praise and constructive criticism.
"You still make unnecessary movents, sir hero. If you can fix that in due ti, you'll be able to hit without even using aura," he added, trying to reassure with a gentle smile. But even as he spoke, I couldn't shake the knowledge of just how lacking my movents were.
For now, there wasn't much I could do about it. In reality, I was still technically a beginner, and making unnecessary movents couldn't be helped at this stage.
I'll reach my goal in due ti. Even if my sword skills don't reach the highest pinnacle, it doesn't truly matter.
My other skills will make up for it.
But even so, I resolved to train harder, knowing that in the future, I might need it more than ever before.
"Can we go again?" I asked, wiping the sweat off my face with the back of my hand.
"Gladly," Libert replied, a glint of determination in his eyes as he pointed his sword at once more.
For several more hours, we clashed swords, the rhythm of our strikes echoing across the training grounds. Despite the fatigue setting in, I persisted, each clash pushing to improve.
Throughout our session, Libert imparted a few tricks here and there, but he didn't delve deeply into teaching his style.
Instead, he emphasized that it wasn't the goal of a master to impart their exact style onto their student. Rather, he aid to nurture my own unique abilities and allow to bloom in my own way.
His words resonated with .
After all, each of us was different, and even if I ticulously trained in his style of swordsmanship, the nature of my abilities ant that I might not need to utilize it in the sa manner as him. Practicality dictated that I find applications for my unique skills.
For now, sticking to the basics remained essential. Only once I had mastered the fundantals could I begin to explore a swordsmanship that truly suited .
Libert had ntioned the existence of paladins whose fighting style matched mine, but they were too weak to train .
It was a reminder that my journey would be unique, and I would need to forge my path forward.
"Finding your essence will probably be quite hard, sir hero," Libert remarked solemnly.
"Essence?" I inquired, curious about this new concept.
"It is the final destination for those who wield the sword," Libert explained gravely, his gaze piercing as he spoke.
Not long after, I felt his aura expand, and a sensation of deep suppression gripped my body, as if invisible chains were anchoring to the ground.
Despite the instinctual urge to break free, I found myself unable to move, trapped within his overwhelming presence.
Then, suddenly, everything around shifted into shades of black and white, disorienting and surreal. In that mont, I could sense Libert's intent, his blade aid for my neck. Panic surged within as I felt a disorienting sensation, as if the world had turned upside down.
Had he struck ? Was my head severed from my body?
Gasping for breath, I collapsed to my knees, the world around fading into darkness. But as quickly as it had begun, the disorienting sensation subsided, and reality returned in full color.
As I looked up, I saw Libert slowly approaching , his expression softened from its previous intensity.
"That was my essence, sir hero," he explained, extending a hand to help up. "Essence is essentially one's own domain, a place in this world which you own. Anyone who enters it becos crippled if their wills aren't strong enough to match your own ideals."
"The pinnacle of swordsmanship, huh?" I mused aloud.
"Yes," Libert affird, his expression serious as he contemplated the depth of my question.
So basically, it's an expansion of one's aura... but with a defined trait.
'I see. So, is this what Siena does whenever she releases her aura? No wonder she can almost cripple an entire country with her aura alone'
The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
Sword masters truly were a force to be reckoned with.
'Hah... still, it's a bit sad that I can't learn celestial swordsmanship like Tristan' I lanted, thinking of Siena's legendary technique.
The mont I do learn it though, the complications that will arise would be too much to handle.
Considering Siena's animosity with the church…
Well, it's not suitable for in the first place.
I sighed, pushing aside the fleeting desire. Dwelling on it wouldn't change anything.
'But still, I kind of wanted to learn sword skills with cool styles'
Glancing at my watch, I realized it was almost past noon. I needed to return to my room soon the pope would probably send soone to call for soon.
….
As the eting with the Pope and Father concluded, I sank into the couch with a heavy sigh.
Why did it take them so much ti to sort things out?
The tension in the room, filled with subtle threats disguised within their words, made feel distinctly uncomfortable.
It seed as though they didn't even recognize my presence amidst their deliberations.
Haah…!
With another sigh, I slumped onto my bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling upon . It was ti to take a mont for myself.
Summoning my staff, I reached out and touched it, feeling the runic engravings imdiately light up in response.
The staff possessed the remarkable ability to amplify my magical energy and spirit resonance, making it a powerful tool for establishing contact with others, even across great distances.
However, as I prepared to reach out to ralda, who I knew was likely with Adrian at that mont, a sudden realization struck .
This was likely the first ti they had been together in a long while. Interrupting their reunion would be impolite, to say the least.
With a sense of reluctance, I withdrew my hand from the staff. 'I shouldn't intrude'
Deciding to prioritize rest over further communication, I settled into my bed, feeling the weariness of the day wash over .
I miss you Adrian…
….
As I stepped into my room, I was t by a priest, as expected. He inford that my father, the duke, was waiting and wished to speak with .
With a nod of compliance, I followed the priest, who served as my guide, to a large door.
As we arrived, the priest stopped and turned to .
"His grace is inside... if you'll excuse ," he said before walking away.
I couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise. He didn't open the door for or guide inside.
Was this his way of respecting our privacy, or was it sothing else? Perhaps fear or rudeness?
"Haha…"
A small chuckle escaped my lips at the thought. Was the duke truly that uncomfortable?
Knock... Knock... I rapped twice on the door, and a voice imdiately responded, "Co in."
Pushing open the door, I entered slowly, taking in the scene before . There he was, the duke, after such a long absence.
Handso as ever, he regarded with his cold eyes, though there was a hint of reluctance in his gaze as he avoided direct contact with .
I couldn't help but acknowledge the lingering trauma evident in his deanor.
Despite the passage of ti, it seed that wounds from that ti still haunted him, dad really needs to hold back with his entrances.
"Adrian..!"
Aria's voice echoed from the side, her face lighting up with joy as she sat beside the duke. With an eager smile, she stood and enveloped in a tight hug.
"I missed you...!" she exclaid, her embrace filled with warmth and affection. I couldn't help but return the sentint, though a thought nagged at the back of my mind: Did Aria forget the duke was here?
As we shared the embrace, I almost voiced my concern aloud, but the duke's reaction stopped short. His typically serious deanor had vanished, replaced by wide-eyed astonishnt.
It was as if he was on the verge of codic shock the only thing missing was if he opened his mouth.
But I understood his surprise. After all, as far as he rembered, Aria harbored disdain for .
Finding his reaction amusing, I couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire. With a mischievous grin, I attempted to overload his senses, adding to his bewildernt.
"Yeah, I missed you too, Aria," I replied warmly, flashing a gentle smile in her direction.
"Hehehe~"
Aria's laughter rang out, a strange mixture of happiness and excitent.
It seed she had completely forgotten about the duke's presence, lost in the mont of our reunion.
I couldn't help but wonder if her joy was genuine.
Had she truly missed that much?
The thought brought a sense of warmth to my heart, despite the awkwardness of the situation.
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