76 – The Knight’s Rest (3)
Maria looked at Cain with eyes that seemed to ask, ‘What’s going on?’ Lily also seems quite surprised by her sudden request.
“Are you talking about Dalian? Any time is fine… “Do you have any purpose?”
“Because of the knight of the scabbard. That guy’s swordsmanship is a bit strange. I thought it was a bit strange the last time it stuck to the trainee’s body, but when I bumped into it this time, there was definitely something strange about it. But it’s hard to explain this kind of swordsmanship in words, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.” “Hmm,” Lily pursed her lips.
“So I’ll show you as much as I can remember… Lily, if you have anything in mind, I’d like you to let me know. For example, this preparation posture has characteristics such as the movements of a certain country or the preparation posture of a certain knighthood… “If there is such a thing.”
“I know what you mean. “The intention is to trace his training and origin through his swordsmanship.”
She already knew that it wouldn’t be a sparring match in the purest sense. So Lily wasn’t too disappointed or disappointed.
The evil behavior he committed in Emmaus was to the point where I couldn’t open my eyes and look at it. Lily wanted to catch her as soon as possible and get on her knees.
She would have enjoyed her final journey with Cain if she had been leisurely looking through documents, but it wasn’t such a leisurely situation.
Considering that she would burrow into the darkness of the empire like mold, she could never stay still.
“It’s closer to a reenactment than a sparring match.”
That’s why Lily calmly nodded her head at Maria’s words.
“After that, I want you to teach me how to use a sword.”
There was a loud bang and her knee hit the table. The clinking dishes and utensils all protested at Lily. Although tears welled up in her eyes, Lily was so surprised that she even slightly stuttered her words.
“Je… I am… “Me?”
It seems like he was really surprised to see that even his tone of voice had changed.
“Yes. It’s a shameful story… Because I am angry. Last time, I was dealt too one-sidedly and helplessly. “I don’t want to use the excuse that it was my first time seeing swordsmanship.”
“It seems like you were very concerned.”
Lily muttered as if she felt sorry for herself. When Mary asked what had happened next to her, Lily told her story of her time at Emmaus.
Although Cain did not show it, she was paying attention to the words of Hoover, a genealogist and member of the White Blood Knights whom she met at Emmaus. It means that if you are obsessed with catching and don’t improve your basic skills, you will be in big trouble someday.
After hearing the story, Maria wrinkled her eyebrows.
“You. “You don’t believe that Emmaus could have been saved if you had cut them all down with your sword, do you?”
Maria seems to understand that Cain wants to learn the sword as a reaction of some kind of guilt. Cain understood Mary’s concerns.
“I can’t say no. If she had at least been neutralized, if she had been tied up, she wouldn’t have lost Arianne so vainly.
Even at this moment, he is probably wandering around somewhere, but he doesn’t like being bored and doing nothing.
Of course, you shouldn’t eat hastily. First of all, taking care of our body and keeping it in optimal condition is a priority. If your mind gets ahead of you to the point where your body can’t keep up, you’ll ruin your work.
After that, I want to prepare as thoroughly as possible. To do that, you have to become stronger than you are now. “Can you teach me?”
Lily felt like she was about to hiccup, so she called a passing servant. Only after she drank a glass of beer was she able to calm down a little.
“For that reason, I don’t think it will happen.”
This time it was Mary and Cain’s turn to be surprised. Lily took another sip. She seemed to have drank it a little hastily earlier, so this time she drank it deliberately and slowly.
“It’s not because I don’t want to teach you. It’s because it doesn’t fit the purpose. First of all, not only genealogists but all members of the White Blood Knights, including me, assume fighting on the battlefield.
But that’s not what the Security Bureau does. Things like street attacks, ambushes, ambushes and defenses happen more often. The fighting place is different and the situation is different. So even if I were to teach you the White Blood Knights’ sword techniques, it wouldn’t be of much use.”
After hearing it, it seemed plausible. But Cain asked her just in case.
“But can’t you teach me some simple techniques?”
“You must have confidence in your sword and swordsmanship. When you doubt, your hands become weak and you lose your grip on the knife. Do you remember when I said that wand skills were elegant? This is an undeniable fact.
Of course, you can’t use a cane in an all-out war. However, it served exactly the purpose of arrest. And Cain is outstanding in terms of technical perfection.”
After ordering and drinking a glass of beer, Maria looked at Lily very suspiciously.
“Is this an expert’s opinion? Or is it just the selfish opinion of an expert?”
“Of course…” “Is your face red because of the alcohol or embarrassment? Lily swallowed her saliva. “This is a selfless opinion.”
“I’m curious. “If you and Cain compete now, who do you think will win?”
“Of course I win.”
Maria gasped and hurriedly covered her mouth and laughed. Cain, embarrassed, twitched her cheek.
“… “Is that also an expert opinion?”
“This is a selfish opinion.” Lily answered without a trace of laughter.
“Confrontation is a matter of human life. Therefore, there is no such thing as ‘we must do better next time’. If you lose in a fight, the only outcome is death.
There is no objectively superior swordsmanship or best swordsmanship. It can’t exist. No matter how Berserkir or Valkyria you are, you can lose your life from a blind arrow, a sudden fall from a horse, or a wooden sword accidentally stabbed by an apprentice.
Anyway, the outcome is a matter of life and death, and that is God’s domain. All a prosecutor can do is risk everything and fight. So even if you risk everything, it’s not enough. If you think to yourself, ‘I am weak and need to learn more,’ you are already fighting, leaving the path of escape open.
You must believe it. That way, you can risk everything. If you fall into self-doubt, you cannot risk everything. You should walk without thinking about the way back.
So, I’m telling you that I win.”
“Wow. “You really mean it.”
Maria fanned herself with her hand, imitating a fussy noblewoman. Lily exclaimed and burst into laughter.
“I know what you mean. But Lily, if you say so, what is the meaning of sparring? “I also practice and interact with things like how to use a dagger or how to walk quietly…”
“After hearing it, it seems a bit strange. “Where does a nun learn that?”
In response to Cain’s question, Mary rested her chin on her arm as if she was pitiful.
“There are thieves even in Magdeburg. Of course, they are all guys with hairy hands. In the past, I was also quite lazy. Anyway, I’d like to hear Lily’s sparring thoughts.”
Lily seemed hesitant. She said something pointless and she seemed to regret it. She eventually blushed slightly and lowered her head. Although she did give Cain a quick glance.
“Dalian… So, what I think of is sparring. It is a process of realizing your own problems. If you are an apprentice or trainee, you should not hastily touch on an already completed test. If you do that, you will forget all your previous strengths.
So we need more sparring. There are definitely things that everyone doesn’t think about or miss. Through sparring and confrontation, we make ourselves reflect on what we are lacking, what we are good at, and what we have gone too far with.
Finally, swordsmanship is self-expression. Even if someone else teaches you, you will eventually find your own voice. So, Dalian… “I teach it as a method of conversation that allows you to truly see the person’s side.”
“The White Blood Knights is a bigger place than I thought. “In some ways, it’s very straightforward, but in other ways, it’s very poetic.”
Lily blushed again at Maria’s praise. However, when Cain saw Mary smiling slightly, he was overcome by her anxiety. Because it’s the expression that comes to mind when a sense of playfulness kicks in.
“But I think so. You’re both so serious that I have a feeling that if you spar, someone will break an arm or a leg. Because there is no such thing as moderation. Is it a security agency characteristic? So, how about making a bet or a penalty? “I think I’ll be a little less serious then.”
Seeing Lily nod her head so calmly, Cain felt eerie. At times like these, Lily always says something strange about herself…
“It’s simple. The loser grants the winner’s wish. “I think that would be normal.”
“Oh… “Maria nudged Lily’s arm with her elbow, her eyes full of anticipation.
“What is it? “What will you wish for?”
Lily just smiled.
“I will only tell you about that to Cain tomorrow, before the sparring.”
“Why?”
“So… “You will become even more desperate.”
“You’re not going to ask for anything strange, are you? “I tell you in advance, you can’t do anything really weird.”
“This is a reasonable and common sense request. “It is also the custom of the knights.”
But Lily seemed quite happy.
“Actually, I thought it was just someone else’s story, but I never thought I would ask for something like this. I’ll tell you more details tomorrow. “If you don’t like it, you can just beat me, right?”
Cain was a little relieved to hear that it was the custom of the knights. Of course, I know that the White Blood Knights are a bit of an eccentric group, but they are rational and have common sense.
Of course, she was a little afraid of what it meant that she only thought of it as ‘someone else’s story.’ All you have to do is win. And she had no intention of coming all this way and giving up in front of Lily and Maria.
“Okay. Instead, if I win, you will listen to me unconditionally, at least while you are in this city. “Don’t move as you please.”
“I will.”
“What the heck, that’s boring. “Isn’t there something a little creative?”
I heard Maria’s jeers, but Cain was quite desperate.
* * * * *
The next morning was like free time. Cain visits the branch of the Guards Bureau disguised as an art dealer, and she writes a letter to Anna asking for help.
Lily wandered around the city, purchasing a wooden sword and protective gear for her training. It is a wooden sword covered with leather, and is an inexpensive yet sturdy weapon that can be used frequently. An apprentice knight or trainee would use a heavy iron sword without a blade, but Cain and Lily are already past that stage.
Maria, who had planned to laze around all morning, could not rest properly. This is because she was caught by a college student who hesitantly approached her with her writing utensil.
The college student told a pitiful story, ‘If you tell me one interesting story, I will earn tuition, your group will be able to stay an extra day, and we will receive good service.’
Because of this, Maria told with some exaggeration about some of her deviations from her childhood.
Maria was dressed in casual clothes and had nothing on her body that could identify her as a nun, so we heard about how she climbed over someone’s wall at night and how abandoned children live on the streets of the colorful city at night. I wrote down the story.
Not long after lunch. Cain and Lily stood facing each other in the reed field next to the lake, their swords facing each other.