There is an announcement in the afterword, so please take a look if you have the time.
When you’re troubled, moving your body can distract your mind and clear your thoughts.
“Don’t swing with your arms! Swing with your hips and abdomen! Your hands are just there to guide! Put your strength into your abdomen and hips! Slash with your whole body!”
“Roger!”
A spirited response rang out across the courtyard of Ginzetsu’s Wolf Tavern.
Today wasn’t originally scheduled for training, but upon dropping by, I found a few people not out on jobs. And just as you’d expect, some were out in the courtyard training with their swords.
Since I felt like moving today, I decided to give them some practice. I wandered around those swinging their swords in a line, observing their stances and motions and offering advice to each individual.
“Etan! Relax your shoulders! Don’t tense up like you’re hugging a woman! Mathieu! Coordinate your footwork with your arm movements! You’re two beats behind your footwork, so the strength from your lower body won’t transfer into your sword! Karsten! Don’t forget the follow-through after you strike, or you’ll get cut down by another enemy!”
For my part, the more I train, the more my sword skills improve, but I still swing my sword repeatedly to grasp the nuances of techniques I’ve learned. It’s much like a fighting game—no matter how powerful the character, if you don’t understand their movement and quirks, you’ll never defeat an expert wielding a so-called meme character.
This means I understand the merits and flaws of certain movements and why bad ones occur.
Etan, the bull-troll, still hasn’t fully shed his brutish self-taught sword style that relies on his race-specific physique. If he could relax a bit more naturally, I think he could increase his sword speed by thirty percent. But his style now is only effective when overpowering shorter or lower-tier opponents. Against equals or higher-tier foes with better skills or physiques, he’d become a good target.
Relaxation, relaxation… maybe I should have him practice with greased sword handles that slip out when over-gripped? Might work nicely…
Next to him, Mathieu, who’s a were-wolf, doesn’t have much of an aptitude for sword skills. His footwork, for one, lacks the finesse expected of swordsmanship. If he doesn’t correct this, it’ll be a waste of his wolf form’s natural lithe physique, which could make him an excellent swordsman.
Once he develops a rapport between his movements and his sword techniques, he could easily become one of the top swordsmen in the Sword Friends Association. However, it might be worth focusing on teaching him footwork exclusively for some time.
Clearly visible at the shortest end of the lined-up trainees is Karsten, the goblin. Although he’s got potential and, with his small stature, could become an excellent swordsman capable of outmaneuvering human opponents, his movements are too rough and unrefined.
I keep reiterating to all of them to maintain their follow-through after each strike, positioning themselves for the next possible enemy. He is, however, consistently neglecting this part, though I dislike the idea of having to nag. If he continues ignoring the follow-through in the future, I might just hit him with a blow, even during practice. There’s rarely a one-on-one fight in real battles, especially in escort jobs where ambushes are the norm. Tactics must be ingrained into one’s muscle memory, not just acknowledged intellectually. You can’t afford to let your guard down after cutting down one enemy only to be taken down from behind.
In a game, a one-for-one exchange would be pretty good, but in reality, dying to someone would be too costly. It’s not enough just to exchange blows. I must aim to fell ten or twenty enemies without dying.
Afterward, I corrected their posture with each strike using the tip of my sword, repeating the process until they’d practiced about a hundred swings. Now, it’s true that with a wooden sword, any adjustments I make in such drills are designed to prevent resentment…
In training, I dislike both mental haranguing and physical punishment, but as the saying goes: “If it doesn’t hurt, you won’t remember.”
“Master! Can we have a go?”
“Great spirit! Come on, then!”
“Yeah! I’ll borrow your chest!”
After finishing their practice swings, I told everyone to stretch and take a breather, but most wanted to continue and challenged me one after another. Armed with wooden swords or spears and skilled in their primary weapons, they charged head-on, providing me with a good workout.
While many might have issues to work on, every single one of them possesses the proficiency to reliably slay an enemy, making them incredibly reliable. Their attacks are so forceful that dodging is nearly impossible, and deflecting their strikes demands considerable skill.
Ordinary villagers or semi-skilled bandits who would hesitate to ambush a caravan wouldn’t pose much of a challenge for any five-person group. Even if their number increased fivefold, it would still be easy to disperse them.
That said, I did manage to thoroughly subdue everyone. Of course, as their jobs are important, I either deflected their swords away with “<Seize Blade>” or struck close to vital points, causing no physical harm—though as adventurers, I imagine their pride took quite a beating.
That said, people need the recognition of a superior to aim higher.
Even I, for example, still feel far from the peak despite knowing that there are still people like Lady Agrippina and the mysterious masked noble I met in the sewers. I need to keep advancing or be left behind.
At the very least, I am still quite inexperienced. Not that I’m weak, but I’m nowhere near the top. If I were to confront Lady Agrippina now, she’d kill me effortlessly with a flick of her hand.
She performs instantaneous short-distance warps without incantations and hits you with fatal magic from all directions, making her a god-like anomaly. To even measure up to such a being, I need to reach a level where I barely notice being struck several steps after a swing.
Even though I’ve barely touched the fringes of the “<Divine Realm>“, the path of the sword is far from over.
“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s take a real break now and then move on to coordination drills!”
“Osu…”
The response from the guild members was significantly less energetic compared to when we started. Naturally, after a hundred concentrated swings into a free-for-all session, they’re bound to be exhausted.
While they relaxed, stretching together, I took a seat on a barrel and sipped water from a leather pouch. Normally, this would brighten my mood, but due to the contents of the letter I received last night, I couldn’t fully shake the foggy thoughts from my mind.
The two letters I had, quite carelessly, left on the counter after indulging in happiness.
The letter from Lord Raizenitz, while full of eccentric content, wasn’t particularly harmful. Back in my previous life, it felt like one of those cute emails a friend might send. Though I appreciate his concern that I should be in the Imperial Capital, could he please stop discussing cosplay with Mika and save it for later?
It seems like the same idea as last time, lining up with some kind of setting in mind.
But if the pervert is still doing his thing, that’s fine. He just seems like a harmless eccentric finding pleasure in fashion.
Compared to the stereotypical mad necromancer, hiding in a tower, creating zombies to destroy the world or casually conducting human experiments—no matter how ostensibly serious—he’s far milder.
Even if the Magic Academy is renowned for excellence, they’d surely be exterminated if discovered secretly collecting taxidermied young men and women.
The problem is Lady Agrippina’s letter.
The content was elegantly written in high-level court language fit for aristocracy. At first, it was typical: greetings and plain updates about her usual life, but then it took a worrying turn.
Apparently, Lady Agrippina, as Count Ubiorum, has begun water management projects.
Ordinarily, I’d just think, “Good for her!” and move on, but wait a moment.
I am no longer her apprentice or personal attendant. Why is she suddenly sharing what looks like profitable insider information?
It’s obvious. Given her cunning nature, she’s likely reaping some benefit from the mere fact that I know this information.
There’s no way she’d leak such privileged information to outsiders unless she’s trying to secure an advantage.
Whether it’s a story like “Monkey River Flood Control” or a “Saga of the Righteous,” if it’s unrelated to me, I’d tell her to do as she pleases. But it’s far too ominous.
Why start a large-scale expansion of Mauser River, an already functional canal?
The Mauser River flows through Marsheim, originating from the Great Western Mountain Range, cutting across the territory of the Western Satellite States, heading south after passing Marsheim’s central plains, and ultimately emptying into the ocean. Originally, it was a small and irregular river, but during an ancient era when the empire expanded through the fragmentation of smaller countries, it was developed into a proper canal.
Today, it plays a crucial role in border logistics, agricultural water supply, and residential water sourcing. In Marsheim, all waste must be purified before disposal. The short distance through the empire is often considered a missed opportunity.
If its angle were slightly less, it could carry logistics over plain central areas, enhancing the canal system and improving coordination with the north.
The empire, fully focused on domestic development, plans to streamline its transportation network with ongoing projects: major road renovations and extensions, upgrading several highways to arterial roads, and large-scale canal expansions. A project that seems standard yet eerily similar to “usual” scenarios in Chinese history.
My homeland has a very humanitarian approach. They don’t forcibly conscript citizens or demolish homes to obtain construction materials along the river, so there’s little risk of rebellion. However, the sheer volume of money and influence involved almost makes my head spin.
Among these projects, the expansion of the canal network carries particular importance. If something goes wrong, it could potentially destabilize the nation.
Not far from Mauser River is Rayve River, which flows north to south through the central-west continent. On the map, they seem like they’re only a mountain’s distance away from each other, practically touching. In reality, they are distant, but seeing them like this makes one wish: if only they merged, traveling north to south and between the middle and west regions of the Threefold Empire would be much easier.
And looking across the entire empire, there are countless rivers missing only small adjustments to connect conveniently. If they were all slightly wider or held a bit more water, or simply connected, imagine how convenient they’d be. Such small differences exist in a world that places people’s convenience ahead of everything.
But what would linking all these through public works bring?
Apparently, the emperor has started this as though it’s a sandbox game hobby. You’d think, “Isn’t this megalomania? Do you even know what cost-benefit analysis is?” and dismiss him as economically illiterate, but in a world with magic, it’s much more cost-effective than in my old one.
Even in ancient times, there was the success of linking Nile River to the Red Sea, and in the 19th century, the connection of Illinois and Chicago Rivers proved possible. Thus, given advanced techniques, it’s far from impossible.
Among other plans, connecting several rivers inside the empire through a canal network would significantly enhance logistics and transportation over the long term.
The estimated timeline spans fifty years over fourteen stages. Quite a grand plan typical of those who might as well not age. But given the state’s capacity, is it reasonable?
Although I know little about economics or architecture, the fact that it’s in motion suggests it’s achievable. And considering Lady Agrippina’s involvement, it feels even more certain—and thus even more frightening.
But I notice one thing.
The Mauser River played a crucial role in establishing the foundation for present-day Marsheim and naturally flows toward the west.
And in the west, work has begun on building a new line of fortifications.
Unsettling, isn’t it? Quite unsettling…
The letter was wrapped up casually—obviously with the refined diction fitting of her social status—with something along the lines of, “When our plans progress further, I may look forward to seeking your help in the future.”
I almost passed out from the overwhelming sense of foreboding.
What is this? It feels like a bullet I dodged in the air suddenly turning and pursuing me.
It’s not confirmed yet, but my intuition tells me this smells bad—very bad.
While I haven’t decided what to do yet, I fear that Lady Agrippina’s schemes could leave behind painful pitfalls if I try to avoid them altogether.
This might be a day when, one way or another, I’ll be forced into a difficult decision.
Trying to shake away these ominous thoughts, I thought I’d have a smoke, when a colossal shadow slouched through the courtyard door.
“You there, master?”
“Ah, Yorgos!”
Yorgos, shirtless, lightly sweating, with his beloved sword in hand, was looking around the courtyard, surprised to see signs of training from his fellow comrades.
As he jogged toward me upon my wave, it dawned on me that he must be amazed to find me here since today isn’t a designated practice day.
“So, how’s it going? Have you adapted a bit? Did you manage to register with the guild?”
“Yeah, I managed thanks to the help of some seniors…”
“Good to hear! Say, do you look like you’ve been running? Are you training?”
“Well, uh, since I’m not very familiar with the routes, I thought it would be best to memorize them before I start working…”
“Besides, running’s part of my daily routine,” he said, grinning through his fierce-looking features.
Ah, excellent mindset. Running enhances endurance, which is vital in this line of work. With much walking involved, it’s a tremendous asset.
Good initiative. Talent or not, without hard work, no growth can occur.
“Sorry to interrupt, master… but why are you here today? Isn’t today…”
“It’s a whim, that’s all. And since I’m in a whimsical mood…”
After praising his enthusiasm, rewarding him feels appropriate.
Let’s have a quick spar, shall we?…
—
【Tip】 The backbone of the empire’s logistics is its canal system. Materials like the vast quantity of timber and stones transported from remote areas, essential to the empire’s infrastructure, are simply too heavy to haul overland.
2020 brought us various events such as book publications, all thanks to your immense support. With deep appreciation, I offer my thanks. However, due to a period of mourning, I shall refrain from formal New Year’s greetings.
As an alternative, I’d like to share a personal initiative—a signed copy giveaway by Schuld.
Due to lack of interaction through Overlap official events, this seemed fitting considering the decrease in sample books being offered.
With Overlap’s permission, the initiative proceeds as follows.
Gospel of Henderson Volume 3 signed copies for 3 winners!
The entry requirements are as follows:
① Follow the Twitter account @schuld3157.
② Tweet using the hashtag #Gospel of Henderson Signature Campaign with images of Volumes 1 and 2. Adding personal reviews is appreciated!
③ Photos can either be physical editions or screenshots of the digital versions.
④ Submission deadline is January 10, 2021.
⑤ This is purely a personal initiative. Winners will be notified via Twitter DM.
⑥ Be mindful that Schuld’s processing ability is limited, so there might be delays in announcement and shipping.
With this in mind, if you’d like a wobbly signature, feel free to participate.
Thank you for accompanying me through the last update of 2020.
