1. The first letter (6)
The lecture has begun.
The ‘swordsmanship practice’ taught by Professor Derek was a class close to training. The main thing I do is wield a sword, sparring, or catch a blade and participate in a low-level beast subjugation.
Even if it wasn’t a lecture, it was something every student in the Faculty of Swordsmanship was doing. That is why swordsmanship practice classes have always been popular.
If it’s something I have to do anyway, it’d be nice if I could get grades.
And most of all, isn’t it the Faculty of Swordsmanship, which is mostly physical? There were many people who preferred to move their bodies while sweating rather than learning the theory that would make their brain cramp in the classroom.
However, today’s lecture did not feel the same vitality as usual. The reason was simple. It was because the attention of the students, who should be focused on training, was focused on someone.
Needless to say, that ‘someone’ was me. My head was already pounding.
Everyone is giving me expectant eyes, but to be honest, I didn’t have the confidence to beat Seria. I didn’t even know what I had done last week.
At least there was a clue. ‘Because I deal only with demon beasts, my muscles are honest.’ But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand its meaning.
Do you mean observing how the opponent’s muscles move between the frantic battles?
Even if you had that much power of observation, you wouldn’t be able to see the parts that were covered by clothes. It was a real challenge.
I couldn’t find an answer even after struggling for a long time, and now I was swinging my sword with half-giving up.
His sword path was clean, probably because his body was weak. Come to think of it, it seems that the amount of magic power has increased a little, and the blood flow seems to have widened considerably.
What the hell happened in the past week? Questions reared up once again, but I soon tempered them.
Even so, it was at a level that could not reach that of Seria Yurdina. He was an opponent who honed his heaven-sent talent throughout his life. It was impossible to catch up the gap within a week.
While I was swinging my sword in a daze like that, Professor Derek was approaching me before I knew it.
Brown hair, a scar across the middle of his face, and a shaggy bronze body.
He was a man with a strong physique that made it hard to believe that he would soon be approaching old age. It was a manly, strong body that once chased a witch and shot all kinds of gold.
He watched with his arms crossed as I swung the sword, then spoke in a pleased voice.
“I lost my life.”
“… … yes?”
I had no choice but to ask in response to the sudden praise. Despite my ridiculous gaze, Professor Derek just smiled and nodded. His hand stroked his shaggy beard.
“He said he lost his life, he did very well. The last time I saw your sword, it was eaten for the purpose of killing someone. Of course, if you achieve that level, a fearsome killing sword will be born, but it’s meaningless to become a human who doesn’t feel any emotion when killing life.”
It seemed as if he was referring to the ‘spiritual theory’ that older prosecutors blindly believe in. Of course, it was common knowledge that the mind was important in swordsmanship.
It was because it was the mind, not the body, that controlled mana. You can move on to a higher realm only when you achieve imagery. The academy forcibly holding swordsmen, injecting them with theories and meditating, all had good reasons.
Recently, however, this ‘spiritual theory’ has been challenged in various ways. This was because some prosecutors used to think of ‘theory of mind’ as a kind of ‘mentalism’, which was criticized as being somewhat unscientific.
In training, the best efficiency can be extracted only when adequate rest and nutrition are combined. However, some swordsmen used to wield their swords to the limit based on mental theory. Only then can you train your mind.
It was a stupid idea. At least the younger generation of swordsmen didn’t follow that kind of training anymore. Unless you were a high-ranking aristocrat who could use a healing potion like water.
One of the characteristics of swordsmen who blindly believed in such spiritual theory was that the sword path changed depending on their mindset. Unless it is a state of realizing the image as a sword, the sword is only swung as it is swung.
Facing my confused gaze, Professor Derek immediately clicked his tongue. It was a reaction that I knew it would be.
“Do you think I am wrong? But I know very well how helpful mental strength can be in a fight to the death. When you are driven into a crisis, do you think that your potential is forcibly awakened?”
It was a big deal. If I went on like this, I would have to listen to Professor Derek’s heroic story for tens of minutes. While I was thinking of a suitable excuse to get out of his old-story hell, Professor Derek kept getting more smug.
“And above all else, if you don’t balance your body and mind, it’s easy to expose gaps. For example, the head finds it with a bow, but the body can’t follow it, or the law of hiding the intention is immature, so the body reveals the sign as it is… … .”
“all right. Derek Kyo… No, wait. Are you saying that the law of concealing your intentions is immature?”
I was about to say yes in a polite manner, but I was taken aback by Professor Derek’s words and had no choice but to ask back.
The law of hiding intentions is immature. It was a nuance I had heard somewhere before.
Professor Derek seemed glad that the young man was interested in what he was saying. He became even more excited and began to share his experiences.
“Yes, do you still lack the experience of dealing with highly intelligent enemies? You can’t know it through couplets, there’s an intuition that can only be realized where life and death come and go… It doesn’t matter when dealing with low-level enemies, but I feel it when dealing with high-level enemies. Ah, that guy knows everything about my actions… … .”
“No, is that possible?”
In response to my question, which went on without end, Professor Derek closed his mouth and stared blankly at me.
But I didn’t understand. Do you have a feeling? How the hell do you know?
“Common sense, isn’t it? It’s hard to compete with the opponent, and you’re going to die, but in the meantime, you even notice what the opponent is going to do?”
Perhaps finding my question quite amusing, Professor Derek patted his beard again and let out a gurgling laugh. However, his answer did not change anything.
“Yes, it will. Of course I once thought like you, ‘Isn’t that all bravado?’ like this. However, the world of masters is wide and deep. You will find out someday.”
Then Professor Derek tapped me on the shoulder a few times with his pot lid-like hand, then turned around. I thought blankly for a moment, then asked before he went further.
“Professor Derek.”
Glancing, his deep blue eyes stared at me. I quickly asked a question before he lost interest.
“… … So, how many of us have reached that level?”
Then Professor Derek laughed and laughed. As if you heard an interesting question.
“Not with you guys! It should be at least the top or the second place, and that’s for the third year or higher?”
In other words, Seria did not reach that level. The state of hiding the number and noticing the impression.
If so, the clue seems to be heading this way, but one crucial problem remains.
It was that I hadn’t reached that stage yet.
The answer is blurry, but I can’t choose the answer because I lack the ability.
It was a pitiful situation. I let out a deep sigh and looked at the place where I felt a slight stinging gaze.
There, Seria Yurdina stood there with abstract eyes.
yes let’s die
I left a will in my heart to my parents, older brother, younger sister, Leto and Celine.
I had a hunch that today would be a long day.
**
“That, senior Ian.”
It was near the end of the lecture. It’s time for everyone to mend their swords, prepare for the next lecture, or enjoy a little leisure.
I was hanging out with Celine and praying that the day would pass safely.
However, Arus, the Lord, must have been dissatisfied with my religious life, and he trampled on my hope mercilessly.
Seria Yurdina was standing right in front of me.
It was a beautiful look at all times. Her gray hair gave off an old-fashioned feel rather than dullness, and even her expression, which was always hardened, harmonized with her beauty, emphasizing her beauty like an ice craft.
She is such a beautiful woman, but now I only feel like a messenger from the underworld.
It was unfortunate. Celine, who was flirting with me at Seria’s sudden appearance, also hardened her expression at once.
It was because Seria’s business for coming to me was obvious. I could tell just by looking at the attention of all the students.
The eyes of the onlookers, sparkling with anticipation.
“Ha, please ask me…” Awesome! Boo, may I ask you a favor?”
It was revenge.
She bit her tongue once, perhaps because she was too nervous, but that seemed to be her purpose anyway.
Sarah’s face turned red. The way she bowed her head was quite cute. If I had been a little more upbeat, I would have received the love of my seniors.
But even her cuteness felt menacing to me now. It was all the more difficult to refuse her offer.
I dared to be ashamed to ask my seniors for advice, but run away?
There was also a record of saying confident things to Thean before today’s lecture started. Since you’re going to play a game later, do you want to warm up?
If I had known it was such a serious situation, I wouldn’t have said such a thing.
At this time, it was Celine who claimed to be the White Knight. She was restless and perplexed, then said as if she had remembered something.
“Ahh! Come to think of it, Ian oppa had an appointment with me afterward… … .”
“done.”
But before the rope she held out fell off, I cut her off with a resigned tone. Celine looked at me with a teary face.
At first, he said he wouldn’t care whether he died or not, but it seemed like an empty remark. Taking comfort in Celine’s reaction, I smiled bitterly.
“Aren’t you going to want to play anyway? If not today, even tomorrow.”
“… … yes.”
Seria nodded her head quietly, but with a firm intention. If so, I should have avoided the seat now.
There was no way that a sharp number could be created in a day or two. Rather, I don’t know if I spend the time feeling like I’m being chased and my blood runs dry.
Even if he was beaten, it was better to hit him early. Eventually I had to nod my head.
“Okay, then let’s play.”
Perhaps it was because she was happy when my permission was given, Seria’s cold face instantly turned bright. It was to the point of hallucinating that an exclamation mark appeared above her head. It was a smile like a flower.
Whether or not, I just walked to the sparring center located in the center of the swordsmanship training center while clicking my tongue.
I hit the ball today. Still, since I was sick, at least I wouldn’t be deducted points, thinking about that.
The humming noise, Professor Derek’s permission, and the poles of the arena with wooden swords in hand.
I stared at her cold aquamarine-like eyes, but I couldn’t read them. I chewed on Professor Derek once in my mind.
I’m an asshole, I don’t know anything.
Then there was only one answer. I thought so and took a stance. And with Professor Derek’s loud cry announcing the start of the match.
“Then, start!”
Hook, I had to witness Seria rushing right in front of me.
The next moment, my body flew through the air with a dull sound.