It was the third day since I started training with the Captain of the Guardian Knights.
Lying sprawled out on the cold stone floor of the practice ground, he said to me.
“Honestly, you’ve become somewhat usable. We can start easing off the endurance training.”
“…Truly, your words humble me.”
“That’s what you say to royalty.”
My head was spinning.
Try imagining moving around with chunks of metal strapped to you that weigh as much as your own body.
If you’re perfectly fine after that, are you even human? You’d be a monster.
What’s more, I couldn’t even use aura.
No matter how little I tried to draw it up, sword qi would come flying at me. How on earth do his eyes work?
There’s no way someone who wasn’t already ‘mixed-up’ like me could have endured the Captain’s training using pure physical strength alone.
“Of course. The training was designed with that in mind.”
“I see…”
“Then let’s move on to the next phase. Take off the equipment you’re wearing now and put this on.”
The Captain handed me a magical device that looked like protective gear.
Slowly getting up, I threw off the heavy weights.
KUHNG-
“Hoo~ Now I might actu-?!”
The feeling of liberation from taking off the weights was short-lived. The moment I put on the magical device, an overwhelming pressure unlike anything I’d experienced so far crushed my entire body.
“GYAAAH…! What is this thing?!”
As I asked while shaking my trembling arms, the Captain replied nonchalantly.
“It’s a magical device custom-made by commissioning the Mage Tower. It detects the wearer’s strength and applies weight corresponding to their limit. They said increasing the weight further would make it too bulky, so this is a special order. Be grateful and wear it. I paid at least twice my body weight in gold coins for it.”
So exactly how much did that cost?
With that amount, you could probably buy a few mansions in the capital.
Grumbling, I strapped the magical device onto my legs.
It felt like several burly men were clinging onto me.
“You said we’d cut down on the endurance training, right?”
“This is for handling martial techniques from now on. It’s hard to swing a weapon with chunks of metal bigger than your head hanging off you, isn’t it?”
“That’s true…”
I took a deep breath and moved my body.
It seemed the claim about detecting one’s strength limit wasn’t false. Even just warming up made my limbs tremble uncontrollably.
“This feels just as hard to move in.”
“Don’t whine. To elevate the skills of someone who’s already reached Master level, we need to push them to their limits.”
“Reached Master level… huh.”
Among the talented, only a select few ever achieve the rank of Master.
Some reach it at a young age, others right before they die of old age.
What exactly are the conditions to become a Master?
That’s a proposition no one has ever clearly defined.
“All Masters have perfected their own form of martial arts. Whether it’s back-alley dogfights or something else, if they’ve reached Master level, that is their art. Divine Power is merely a means to express one’s art to the world.”
The Captain tossed something at me.
A bracelet shaped like a snake, made of some strange metallic material that emitted an odd light.
It was Opheucus, the Relic I had entrusted to him.
– BUUUUURRRT!!!
Perhaps because it hadn’t seen me in a while, the intense vibrations it emitted made me grin.
“So you’re a peculiar existence. Your means has become the very foundation of your art, meaning you can’t display your art without using Divine Power. To put it simply, it’s like trying to swing a frame without a painting inside.”
“So this training is about filling in the painting?”
“How can someone who can’t even draw a single proper line create a masterpiece of the ages?”
“…What does that mean?”
Tilting my head in confusion, the Captain smiled and answered.
“Do you know the best way to improve one’s drawing skills when you don’t know anything?”
Before I could answer, a sword appeared in his hand.
“A replica.”
The Captain slowly drew the sword, which had an impressive handle adorned with gold, and gave me a mysterious smile.
“Consider yourself lucky. There’s probably no one else who can teach you in this manner.”
Sensing something unusual, I transformed Opheucus into a sword.
The Captain immediately swung his sword downwards.
It was a familiar sword technique.
[Lion Sword: Forepaw Swing]
“Damn it…!”
KRAK-KRAK!
The sword qi gnawed at the stone floor as it charged towards me. Clenching my teeth, I swung my sword in response.
It was the exact same Lion School technique, Leo’s swordsmanship.
KABOOM!
When our sword qi collided, the shockwave rippled through the air.
Who would’ve thought there’d be someone other than me who could pull off something like this.
While I was still flustered, the Captain casually said,
“The fundamentals dictate focusing on a single weapon, but you’ve already reached Master level through that method, haven’t you? So adjusting accordingly would be the correct teaching, wouldn’t it? And it seems fitting for your relic too.”
Vast amounts of aura swirled around him.
Clear and dazzling golden aura, like his pupils.
“Let’s start with swordsmanship. If you manage to win a round against me, we’ll move on to the next weapon. During that process, if you find a weapon that suits you perfectly, that would be good. Or if continuing to handle multiple weapons works better, that’s fine too.”
His small stature and youthful appearance didn’t match the seasoned look in his eyes.
Is he really older than Erias, as I suspected?
“Hmm, do you think I’m so easy to deal with that you can daydream in front of me?”
KIIING!
“GRRGH…!”
A crushing blow reverberated through my bones.
How is he able to wield such power while mimicking someone else’s swordsmanship?
Especially since I’m already weighed down by so much, how am I supposed to swing a sword in this state?
Not to mention the intense pain from the curse that strikes randomly, making it feel like my breath is being completely blocked.
But I gritted my teeth and parried his sword.
“A Master is a superhuman who surpasses the limits of humanity.”
Every time I swung my sword, my muscles screamed in agony.
“Once you’ve surpassed it once, doing it again shouldn’t be difficult.”
Joint pain spread throughout my body, feeling like my bones were about to break.
“Show me the strength of humanity.”
And yet, I kept moving.
I adjusted my stance with my legs and swung my sword with my arms.
It was behavior I myself couldn’t even understand.
This talk about the strength of humanity, about surpassing limits…
I didn’t fully grasp what he meant, but one thing was certain:
By the time I finish this training, I’ll definitely be much stronger than I am now.
Wouldn’t it be unfair if I didn’t get stronger after going through such absurd training?
“GRAAAHH!!!”
I shouted, venting my incredibly frustrating feelings as I charged forward.
“Haha, good! That’s the spirit!”
Watching the Captain swing his sword heartily, I recalled something.
The comrades who vanished like morning dew on the battlefield.
Ariana who fell to unknown monsters on the Island of Wisdom.
Lux who collapsed due to the curse.
The Black Wolf who nearly died at the hands of the Bishop of Lust.
Thinking of them filled my mind with anger and regret.
If only I had been stronger, I wouldn’t have had to witness those scenes, right?
The Sage whose presence lingered in the battlefield’s terror.
Erias who destroyed the Sacred Artifact.
Pope Alberto who restored the royal guards brainwashed by the Holy Ground to their original selves.
If I can become that strong, then this kind of pain means nothing, doesn’t it?
Isn’t that right?
– BUUUUURRRT!!!
“Exactly! One must recognize their own weaknesses to grow stronger! You can become even stronger than you are now!”
“That’s easier to understand compared to everything you’ve said so far. And it’s kinda motivating too.”
A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead, dripping off my chin onto the floor.
“I can become stronger. That’s enough.”
I forced a smile.
Do you really think a measly curse can stop me?
“Now that I think about it, didn’t you hang a Wish Charm when teaching your disciple?”
Where did that come from all of a sudden?
I asked, dumbfounded.
“Where did you hear that?”
“The Empire’s Information Department knows plenty of useless information. Especially when it comes to matters concerning the royal family, they know everything.”
“Tch, people with nothing better to do. So what?”
“I was thinking of granting you a wish.”
“Wish…?”
Nothing particular comes to mind.
While the swords paused momentarily, I pondered and shrugged instead of nodding.
“At least tell me your name. I can’t keep calling you Captain forever, can I?”
“My name…?”
Seeing the Captain lost in thought, I quickly charged forward.
Time was precious.
KIIING!
“I’ll tell you. If you grow enough for me to acknowledge it, that is.”
“Rather, you don’t want to tell me, do you?”
“Haha, giving it away easily would be no fun, now would it?”
And so, for a while, I continued swinging swords with him in the training ground.
– BUUUUURRRT!!!
Exerting all my strength in swordplay, I failed to notice the faint light emanating from Opheucus.
Nor did I understand what it signified.
***
Meanwhile, as Allen received training from the Captain of the Guardian Knights, the Black Wolf watched silently from a corner of the training grounds.
“GYAAAH…!”
“Correct your stance. A true swordsman can swing a sword even when their bodily balance is compromised.”
“ZEN-ZEN-ZEN!!”
“Not enough strength in your legs. That’s why your center of gravity is so easily disrupted.”
The Captain’s sword sent Allen tumbling across the floor ungracefully.
Still, he was improving gradually.
Now he could exchange a few blows without using aura.
“GAH!”
Of course, he still had a long way to go.
“Getting bored?”
Earl, who had approached unnoticed, asked the Black Wolf.
“Not really.”
“Well, it is rare to see the Commander getting thrown around like that. In that sense, it’s kind of entertaining.”
“The Crown Prince?”
“Call him His Highness the Crown Prince. Otherwise, we might end up in serious trouble.”
“Don’t care.”
“Sigh.”
Earl sighed and shook his head in reply.
“His Majesty is currently in a meeting with the few remaining loyalists of the Arion Kingdom. He came here during a brief break.”
“Hmph.”
“…You’re quite boring, aren’t you? You talk well enough with the Commander, so why not with me?”
“…”
Seeing the Black Wolf’s lack of response, Earl decided to let it be.
There was no point trying to change her now.
They had known each other for quite some time, and he knew she liked Allen, though Allen himself seemed oblivious.
“You also lead a tough life.”
“…?”
The Black Wolf turned to look at Earl with an expression that said “What nonsense is this?”
“Never mind. Just tell the Commander to come for lunch. His Majesty said we should eat together once the meeting is over.”
“Understood.”
“Tch, when will this dull situation end~”
Grumbling, Earl headed towards Theron.
Unexpectedly, his complaint was resolved sooner than expected.
Because an unexpected visitor arrived.
“Greetings, Imperial Crown Prince. I am Lucy Florea, the Guildmaster of the White Crow Information Guild.”
“Greetings. Since you seem to know so much about me, I’ll skip the introductions.”
Lucy faced Theron and asked directly.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Why have you come to see me?”
“I bring excellent information. Given that you’re the Crown Prince, I figured you’d pay handsomely for it, so I took the risk to come.”
The Guildmaster of an information guild personally coming to sell information.
This unprecedented and valuable sight made Theron smile with interest.
“Excellent information… Let’s hear it.”
“Information about the heir of the Arion Kingdom. Aren’t you curious?”
Theron’s smile deepened at this unexpected statement.
“Ho, definitely qualifies as ‘excellent information.'”
“How much will you pay?”
Smelling money, Lucy curled her fingers into a circle.
If Allen saw this, he’d probably think “Is this really not a commercial guild?” given her excellent merchant attitude.
