Chapter 86 – Who Are You? (1)
This was annoying.
“Tell .”
“……”
“Please, tell .”
“……”
“Hey, fiancé! Are you ignoring right now?”
“……”
“Oh, co on, why am I the only one being treated differently!”
It was always one problem after another. Watching Winley follow persistently, I let out a light sigh.
“Can’t you just take it down a notch?”
“Oh, finally, you’re paying attention to .”
“You asked to help you get stronger, didn’t you?”
“What? So, you were listening to all along!”
“Think about it logically. If a fiancé mistreats their partner, what do you think people around us will think? Especially with so many eyes watching.”
Winley had a genuinely puzzled expression.
“What would they think? They’d probably just think we’re a friendly, close couple.”
I shook my head.
“You used to call crazy all the ti, didn’t you? You do realize you’re not exactly normal either, right?”
“Even better! If we’re a crazy couple, people will just think it’s one of those quirky dating trends of this generation!”
What am I supposed to do with her?
“I’m telling you, it’s fine. No need to worry about what others think. I’m already known as that weirdo. You know, the princess who’s obsessed with swords, willing to do anything to get stronger.”
“So what exactly do you want to teach you? If you just want to be put through the wringer, why don’t you grab a log and run laps like those guys over there?”
At that point, Winley suddenly adopted a serious expression.
“You can see, can’t you? What I’m lacking.”
“……”
Of course I can. The problem is that there’s too much to point out. I looked at her without saying anything.
“Yeah, I thought so. You’re a genius, after all.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“Show what I’m missing. Please, I’m asking you.”
Winley bowed deeply, folding at the waist.
“No.”
Of course, I declined flatly. Even if I were to teach her, it wouldn’t be here. What kind of disaster would unfold if I were caught beating up a princess of this country?
“……Please help .”
Then, from her bowed blonde head ca a small voice.
“I’m desperate.”
“……”
I stared quietly at the back of her head for a mont before speaking.
“Why are you in such a rush? You’re already way ahead of most people.”
“You think I’m ahead? Even if that’s true, it’s not enough. You heard the royal knights earlier, right? I was their very first reason to turn back.”
“It’s not your skill that’s the issue, it’s your status. Even if you were stronger, they’d still act the sa way.”
“If I were at least stronger than them, I could’ve scolded them and sent them packing while saying, ‘Who are you calling weak?’”
Hmm.
That does make sense.
“If you’re so worried about how people see you, then at least give so advice. What do you think is my problem?”
“This attitude right now.”
I replied without hesitation.
“……I’m serious right now. Stop joking around……”
“I’m not joking.”
“……?”
“You’re too impatient, like you are now. In everything— your actions on a daily basis, and your swordsmanship.”
“……!”
Winley’s eyes widened in realization.
“Honestly, you’re pretty amazing. You have plenty of talent, you practice enough, and you’re highly motivated. To put it bluntly, there’s not much to teach you in terms of your mindset.”
“……But I’m too impatient?”
“Exactly. You’re always in such a hurry, and that shows in your swordsmanship too.”
I poked a finger at my chest.
“Have you heard of ‘composure’?”
“I’ve heard of it.”
“A swordsman must always have a calm heart. No matter the situation, you shouldn’t be shaken. But you’re not like that, are you?”
“……”
Winley fell deep into thought. Even if she denied it, to , that’s how she appeared.
Of course, I understand.
She doesn’t know when she might be forced into a political marriage. She needs her skills to be recognized as soon as possible. She has to beco stronger, even if just a little.
And,
‘There are environntal factors too. She’s probably been dismissed as just a princess or underestimated as a woman more tis than she can count.’
With her personality, it must have been hard for her to hold back from punching those jerks on the spot.
“Assuming you manage to achieve that peace of mind, if I had to recomnd a sword style that suits you……”
“……!”
Winley perked up her ears. The royal swordsmanship has no real foundation.
It’s simply a matter of going into the vast private archive, exclusive to the royal family, to find books to study from.
Others might seek out an exceptional sword master to hone their skills. That’s why it’s crucial to find a style that suits you as early as possible.
“For you, it’s best to embrace ‘change’ in your sword movents.”
“Change……?”
“As a woman, your physical limits are clear. Sothing like Jan’s swordsmanship, which relies on brute force, doesn’t suit you.”
Winley listened to as if entranced.
“Speed-focused swordsmanship also has its limits due to your body. The length of your arms, your natural reach, and the force you can generate— all of that is naturally weaker compared to n.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“Of course, with effort and talent, you can overco many of those physical limitations. You’re proof of that. But one day, when you face geniuses like yourself, those differences will beco apparent.”
“And the way to narrow that gap is adopting the sword style of ‘change’?”
I nodded quietly. The flexible swordsmanship that Kirian is learning isn’t bad either.
Even I had to admit, Winley’s greatest strength was her extraordinary flexibility, a benefit she has from being a woman.
The more powerful her opponent, the more suited she would be to a style that uses that strength against them.
However……
‘She’d need to have so exceptional talent.’
It wasn’t enough to recomnd this style of swordsmanship based on just that. Winley’s talent, in various ways, left sothing to be desired.
More importantly, flexibility also greatly benefits change-based swordsmanship.
Exceptional muscle flexibility allows for unpredictable changes in sword trajectories that her opponents wouldn’t be able to foresee.
‘Besides, I already have the perfect sword style in mind for her.’
The problem was, I felt a bit uneasy about teaching her that particular swordsmanship.
“Co find every dawn starting tomorrow.”
“……!”
Winley’s face lit up instantly.
“But promise one thing.”
“Huh? Promise what……?”
“Try not to use that swordsmanship in front of people from the Empire. If you do, they might try to kill you right away.”
Winley was quick-witted.
“Wait, are you saying it’s Imperial swordsmanship?”
“One more thing. If you’re going to learn swordsmanship from , don’t ask about anything else.”
“……Okay, I get the conditions. But not using it in front of the Empire’s people…… that might be tough.”
“Why is that?”
“……My goal is to participate in the upcoming Little Star Tournant……”
Her voice was barely above a whisper. Narakas once asked the sa thing. If my goal was the Master Tournant, had I ever considered the Little Star Tournant.
The forr is, as the na suggests, for Masters— only one chosen knight from each country can participate, showcasing the strongest of the strong.
The strength of each participant often reflects the power of their nation. And if the Master Tournant represents the ‘present’, the Little Star Tournant is a asure of a nation’s ‘future’.
It’s an event where the most promising knights, those with the potential to beco the next absolute powerhouses, compete— excluding the Masters, of course.
“Then I’ll have to adapt it to suit you.”
“Adapt an already established sword style? Can I even do sothing so extre?”
“You can. You’re a genius in your own right.”
“……!”
Winley straightened up at the complint.
“……Strangely enough, getting a complint from a real genius feels pretty good.”
“Until then, don’t recklessly use this swordsmanship in front of the Empire, or anyone else, for that matter. Can you promise that?”
Winley soon nodded resolutely.
“Yeah. I promise.”
The sky was turning dark in the wasteland, just a day or so before we arrived at the Valley of Death.
“Is this our last night camping out?”
It was late in the afternoon, the sun setting low. The massive canyon ahead had finally co into view.
Just then, Marquis Foltaine and Marquis Milon quietly approached .
“It’s rare to see you two co together. Should I be worried?”
“……”
After exchanging glances, Marquis Foltaine spoke on their behalf.
“Your decision to send back the royal knights was wise.”
“Well, how serious must this conversation be for you to start with complints?”
“I’m just being cautious. You seem to be overlooking what might co after this.”
Marquis Foltaine chuckled, his eyes darkening as he looked at .
“Word will soon spread throughout the capital about who you are and what happened here. And if you return with glory, the more ambitious nobles will beco wary of you.”
“I’m sure they will.”
In politics, success often invites opposition.
“This country has three dukes.”
“I’m aware.”
“My personal advice is to imdiately seek an alliance with Duke Serin once you return.”
Milon nodded, agreeing.
“This is crucial if you want to establish yourself properly in this country in the future, especially given what happened here.”
“You both are forgetting one important detail.”
I pointed off into the distance.
“First, shouldn’t I first make it out of that ‘land of death’?”
“You’ll survive.”
I widened my eyes in surprise. Both of them had answered in unison, as if they were of one mind.
And I have to admit, it felt good. It didn’t matter if their confidence was in or in themselves. Either way, it was a positive reaction.
“……Then let’s focus on just one thing for now.”
“One thing?”
“Accumulating envious amounts of rit.”
A faint smile crossed my lips.
“That way, it’ll make Duke Serin’s decision that much easier.”
***
We finally arrived at the entrance to the canyon of Black Swan.
“……There are corpses here, too.”
Marquis Foltaine, who was leading the group, spoke in a somber tone. Indeed, bodies were strewn across the ground, even more than before.
There must have been at least a hundred of them.
“It’s truly tragic. Even if this place is neglected, it’s shocking that outsiders got this far without anyone noticing. When we return, I’ll have to deal with the border guards. They probably took bribes.”
Once again, we didn’t find anything particularly notable among the corpses.
‘What in the world is going on here?’
As we all wore grave expressions, soone suddenly shouted.
“O-Over there!”
“……?”
“There’s soone on the cliff!”
“……!”
A clear cry echoed through the canyon. At the entrance to Black Swan, where cliffs towered on both sides, a shadow flickered atop one of the cliffs.
“Good heavens…… how did they get up there?”
“A-Are we sure that’s even a person?”
“If it is, that raises its own set of issues……”
Just as the knights began to murmur among themselves, sothing unbelievable happened.
Dash! Step, step! Tap, tap, tap!
“……!”
A sight so shocking it would be burned into their mories forever unfolded before their eyes.
“Th-Th-Th-Th-That crazy bastard……?”
They saw a boy sprinting up the nearly vertical cliff, as if it were flat ground, at an incredible speed.
“I’m not letting you get away, you bastard!”
It was Ancelot.
***
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