My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 47

Tina swung her sword.

With a rustling sound, the tip of her sword grazed the sleeve of Urka, leaving a slight cut.

“You…!”

What just happened?

Surely, Urka moved faster to evade than the speed at which Tina was swinging her sword.

Yet, the sword’s tip still touched her clothing.

It felt as if the blade had become longer somehow.

Could it be that she’s already mastered the Phantom Sword Technique ‘perfectly’?

While Urka maintained her distance, Tina casually swung her sword a few times.

“Looks like you got a bit sloppy.”

Hearing Tina’s mumble, it seemed that wasn’t quite the case.

Even so, I couldn’t help but be surprised at her level of improvement.

Is this girl really the one who was getting beaten up by Dink or whatever just a month ago?

“But I think I know what I need to do.”

Her expression became serious again.

“It seems like there’s something extraordinary about her when it comes to swords…”

Her trait is ‘Sword Saint.’

When it comes to swords, there was no one who could surpass her. The same went for swordsmanship.

That’s why I didn’t offer Tina any advice regarding swordsmanship.

Having a Sword Master by her side was one thing, but when it came to handling a sword, I had nothing to teach her.

Tina could instinctively learn anything related to swords.

She belonged to the so-called ‘genius’ category.

In the game, I had to manage everything myself and pull off all sorts of crazy maneuvers, but here in reality, she grew on her own, leaving me with little to do.

“I guess it’s not for nothing that they say she’s the strongest. I’ll have to get serious too.”

Urka lunged in, brandishing a dagger.

Clang! Clang!

She quickly deflected the daggers coming from both directions. Not stopping there, she even attempted a counterattack.

The trajectory of the blade that was aimed at her neck shifted to her shoulder.

Urka, watching closely, twisted her body to dodge and aimed her dagger at Tina’s throat.

Tina, bending her waist and evading gracefully, kicked towards Urka’s abdomen.

Whack!

A perfect counterattack.

But Urka wasn’t one to simply take that. Tina’s kick was blocked by Urka’s hand.

Tina quickly retracted her foot.

In that instant, the lower part of Tina’s calf began to turn a deep red.

Upon closer inspection, her pants at the calf area had been sliced away.

The blood flowing from inside her pants dripped onto her shoes and onto the grass.

“Does it hurt?”

It seemed like a light sparring as she only suffered a scratch, but if they were going all out, her lower leg would’ve been gone.

“You could say it hurts if it does!”

Urka, brushing off the blood from her dagger, spoke provocatively. Tina shook her head.

“I’m fine. I can still move.”

Tina jumped up a few times in place without a grimace and grabbed her sword again.

Should I call it her attitude?

It felt like the atmosphere had shifted.

Now that I think about it, ever since she awakened, the vibe changed every time she grabbed a sword.

Is it because of some emotional change after awakening, unlike in the game?

If this were truly reality, that would be a plausible assumption.

However, apart from that, I didn’t think a ten-year-old should be making such expressions.

“Let’s continue.”

“It seems like the match is already decided though?”

“It’s not over yet.”

“Alright, I’ll acknowledge your persistence. But let’s wrap it up soon. I still haven’t seen what I came here for.”

Urka’s gaze turned towards me. I had a feeling things were about to get annoying.

Tap!

Tina stomped the ground with her uninjured foot.

“Surely, the way the sword’s trajectory gets distorted is similar to Praus, but it’s still ‘honest.’ It’s not tricky to dodge.”

Boom!

Now that it seemed to be unraveled, Urka gracefully dodged while aiming her foot at Tina’s face.

“!”

Whoosh!

A spray of blood hovered in the air.

“Good reaction. I didn’t think you’d expect something sharp from my foot, huh?”

If I hadn’t turned my head, that could have left a nasty mark on Tina’s face.

It’s true that a recovery spell could heal scars unless the attack was mixed with magic, but it wouldn’t be a good experience for a child who’s going through a sensitive time.

However, Tina wasn’t the least bit concerned about getting hurt on her face.

Without a care, she swung her sword aiming to deliver a blow to Urka.

But even faster than her, Urka grabbed Tina’s hand and blocked it. Then she placed the tip of her dagger against Tina’s throat.

“That’s enough.”

Tina stared at the unmoving hand and shut her eyes tightly.

When she opened them again, her usual vibrant gaze had returned.

“Whoa… S-Class really is different.”

“No, what’s amazing is you guys. Even though I held back, your level isn’t bad at all. With just a bit more improvement, you could instantly join the Royal Knight Order.”

She gave a positive evaluation.

Honestly, as a Hero, I had hoped she would win, but realistically, that wasn’t possible.

No matter how much of an awakened hero she is, she’s just a blank slate who hasn’t learned anything yet.

There was no way I could defeat someone who had trained for a long time.

Still, just the fact that she made Urka fight a bit seriously was enough to prove that the power of a Hero isn’t weak, so I decided to be satisfied with that for now.

“You’re a bit cheeky, but it was fun.”

Urka nodded happily as she put her dagger away just as applause erupted.

Duke Tori, Princess Ella, and the knights escorting them were all clapping.

“That was a great spar.”

“It seems you fought well against an S-Class. Looks like Lord Praus has a keen eye for talent!”

Keen eye, my foot. I was just someone who spent all day playing games.

“Praus!”

After finishing the match, Urka confidently approached me.

“Praus, if these kids are raised well, they could really be formidable. Or would you like to raise them with me?”

“Don’t spout nonsense.”

“I’m just saying you’re too cold.”

Leaving a shrugging Urka behind, I walked over to Tina.

She was putting her sword away, pouting as if she felt disappointed.

“Tina.”

“Ah, Teacher, um…”

“You did well.”

“Hehe.”

She smiled sheepishly, accepting my head pat.

The atmosphere was completely different from just a moment ago.

Unlike the tense air that was present earlier, it felt round and fluffy now.

“Teacher!”

Tina jumped into my arms.

Debating whether to pull away or not, I decided to let her be since she had worked hard during the spar.

“Teacher!”

“…What is it?”

“I’ll definitely win next time!”

With her small hands adorably clenched into fists, she declared with determination.

“It’s still too much to beat Urka.”

“But still…”

“However, one day you will definitely beat Urka.”

It’s unacceptable if she can’t beat her.

I can’t allow a Hero who must eventually kill the Demon King to lose to an S-Class.

I can’t let my future retiree be ruined.

“Teacher…”

Contrary to my true feelings, these words seemed to be enough comfort for Tina, whose expression was filled with emotion.

On the contrary, Urka had a look on her face like she’d eaten something bitter.

“That… are you really saying that in front of me? Praus, are you trying to make me feel bad?”

“If you’re not happy about it, then become a Hero yourself.”

“A thirty-year-old woman getting jealous of a ten-year-old? Pathetic.”

“What?!”

Urka jumped up and shouted.

“I’m not thirty yet, Praus, you jerk—!”

“Yes! I’ll definitely beat you! You too, Urka!”

“You cheeky brat! Who are you calling ‘too’?! Stay away from Praus! I’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Do you really want to pick a fight with a kid who’s twenty years younger than you?”

“That’s right! I’m not thirty!”

As I looked at her with disdain, Urka poked my cheek, protesting.

“Oh, right. I wanted to ask something before the spar.”

“What is it?”

“Teacher, what are we having for dinner tonight?”

Ah, I completely missed the timing to set that up.

It was all because of the sudden visit from the nobles.

“I was thinking of making turkey fried rice.”

“Fried rice!”

“Fried. Rice.”

Although the basic setting is medieval Western, rice isn’t a staple, but it isn’t entirely off-limits either.

It’s not as common as bread, but I planned to cook in a way that even the children could enjoy.

“Maria, heal Tina.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Once everyone is done healing, come in for a bath. I’ll prepare a delicious meal for you.”

With my words, the expressions of the three children brightened noticeably.

“Yay!”

“I’m looking forward to it!”

“Yes!”

After giving the children’s heads one last gentle pat, I turned my body.

“We’ve come all this way, so we should at least provide a meal. Come inside.”

I addressed Tori, Ella, and Urka, who were standing dumbfounded.

I wasn’t sure if it would match the tastes of the noble lords, but reviews had been good enough.

“Dinner…?”

“I’m saying I’ll serve a meal.”

…Was that too Korean a way to say it?

*

Having five people in the house felt crowded already, so when it increased to eight, it felt like it would burst.

If I had brought the knights who came as escorts for the Duke in, we wouldn’t have been able to move.

“This is… a dish I’ve never tasted before, but it’s quite delicious.”

Duke Tori raised his eyebrows as he said that.

“Praus! More! What is this?!”

“Lord Praus…! How on earth do you cook so well? I would love to have you cook for me every day!”

“So envious, right? I eat meals prepared by Teacher every day!”

Tina giggled and teased. Both Urka and Ella nodded in agreement.

“Tina, we’re in front of noble people.”

Iris cautioned Tina. Only then did Tina realize and bow her head.

“Ah… um, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s alright. In fact, if you’re comfortable with me, you can often come here, and you’ll get to meet Lord Praus—”

“If you’re planning on eating up my food expenses, you can get out right now.”

I was already considering selling an artifact since I didn’t have much money.

Having more mouths to feed wouldn’t be beneficial either.

“Are you lacking food expenses?”

Duke Tori asked.

“It’s a bit tight, but I’m not looking to receive support.”

If it comes to it, I’ll just have the kids catch some wild animals.

“Ariel.”

“Huh? Why did you call?”

Ariel, seemingly enjoying the turkey fried rice, was eating diligently.

“Once you’re done, do the dishes. We lack utensils. We need to serve the knights outside too.”

I pointed to the kitchen with my thumb, leaving the washing up to her as I always did.

With that, Tori, Ella, and Urka had their eyes wide in shock.

“Y-you’re making the Spirit King do the dishes?!”

“Yep. Got it.”

Ariel nodded willingly.

“You’re answering so casually?!”

What a noisy bunch they were.

“No one throughout history has treated a Spirit King like this…”

“Y-yeah, that’s true. Even the Spirit King is made to serve like a servant… so this must be the true power of Lord Praus.”

What sort of misunderstanding are these people having?

After all, Ariel couldn’t provide us with any direct help unless she entered into a contract.

Rather than leaving her as a dead weight, I decided to have her do this.

I wonder what they mean by ‘true power’?

Anyway, after Ariel finished her meal, the dishwashing began.

Once the utensils were clean, I also served meals to the knights resting outside.

After watching them eat heartily while expressing their gratitude, I returned home.

“Hey! Why are you eating that!”

“Lord Praus served this to me to eat!”

The noble types inside the house didn’t even know they were being a nuisance.

I still don’t know why I’ve served these folks.

Maybe I lost my mind for a moment.

“Put that down!”

“Damn it, Ella, do you want to die?!”

“What?! Should I show who’s really in charge here?!”

“Teacher, aren’t you going to stop them from fighting?”

How could I, someone so weak, step in to stop an S-Class? I’d probably end up dead just trying to stop them.

“…I wish they’d all just disappear.”