Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Chapter 1-2. To Live in This World
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Living together didn't mean anything special began. It just meant there was now someone to look after. Of course, putting it nicely, it was someone to look after, but in truth, it was no different from adding more hassle.
When morning came, Juda woke up, did a simple wash, and prepared breakfast. Unlike usual, when he made just one serving, this time it was two. He paid a bit more attention to nutrition as well. Once the meal was ready, he woke Gentia. She was sleeping in a very comfortable position on the bed, and with a drowsy face, she woke up and extended her hand. Wondering if she wanted to be led, he took her hand and guided her to the table, only for her to plant her head on it and fall asleep again. She woke up exactly five minutes later.
After finishing breakfast while listening to her say she was weak in the mornings, she dragged Juda to Kaseun's mansion. There, she borrowed the training grounds to check Juda's skills.
It seemed she needed to gauge how far this kid could go and what level of ability he had before teaching him. At her current level of 49, which was no different from a tutorial, Gentia was overwhelming. She tracked each of his attacks with her eyes, dodging them or parrying effortlessly.
Watching this, Kaseun said it was fine and to show dual-wield swordsmanship. Telling him to use dual-wield swordsmanship meant to use Shadow Swordsmanship. Shadow Swordsmanship involved holding a dagger as the off-hand weapon in the left hand and a one-handed sword type like a bastard sword as the main weapon in the right.
As soon as he started using Shadow Swordsmanship, Gentia let out a gasp of admiration. She even said it was hard to understand why he wasn't using it and was using regular swordsmanship instead. After confirming his skills through light sparring, she vaguely knew what to teach him. That was the end of the sparring.
With business at the training grounds done, she tried to head out immediately for the next errand, but Kaseun held her back, insisting she stay for lunch. Pretending to be reluctant, she ate. Over a delicious and quite luxurious meal, they chatted, and then Gentia headed to Serenia Castle's central square with Juda.
The central square, with its fountain, connected to various guilds, shops, and temples. She already seemed to have a good grasp of the area, leading Juda without hesitation. She headed toward the eastern avenue.
There were general stores selling adventurers' gear, weapon shops, and even the mage tower under Langritsa's command. She went to the weapon shop first. It wasn't a place selling top-quality gear, but the quality was above average.
She bought four daggers, a belt to hold them, and two long swords. Whether she'd received money separately from Kaseun or not, she didn't haggle at all. She handed the weapons, bought at full price, to Juda as gifts, told him to go home first, and disappeared somewhere.
Juda, who ended up heading home alone in a daze, sat on the living room chair and lightly swung one of the long swords she'd given him. Unlike a wooden sword, it cut through the air with a sharp whoosh.
'It's not as heavy as I thought.'
It was wieldable with one hand. But as always, gripping it with both felt more stable. That wouldn't last long, though. In a few more years, he'd grow taller, his stats would rise further, and by then, swinging it one-handed for extended periods would be no burden. For now, though, he was more interested in the daggers than the long sword.
Gentia would surely teach him mercenary-style left-hand dagger arts. That's why she'd bought the daggers and belt. And late that evening, Gentia returned covered head to toe in dirt.
"Ugh, I'm beat. Wait long?"
"No, I didn't wait long. Where did you go to come back like that...?"
"I went to the Eastern Forest. Gotta teach you hunting, right? I scouted around to see where things are. Starting tomorrow, we'll head to the forest and I'll teach you hunting and all that. Look forward to it."
What kind of teaching made her come back covered in dirt? He felt a twinge of worry. Saying she needed to wash off the dirt first, she headed to the bathroom. After a long scrub, she emerged clean and fresh in simple clothes, unwilling to let the day pass without doing anything.
Thinking for a moment, she realized there was something she could teach even at night and told Juda to bring the dagger she'd gifted him earlier. While he fetched it, she brought out a thick board and a mercenary-style dagger throwing manual from her room. It was like a dartboard, designed so daggers could embed easily and be pulled out. There were plenty of spots in the house to hang it. She set it up in a suitable spot, and when Juda brought the dagger, she told him to try throwing it with his left hand, then laughed at his utterly clumsy form.
She handed him the manual and told him to read it once, then let her know when done. The moment he took the book, a status message appeared before his eyes.
[Gentia is imparting 〈Mercenary-Style Left-Hand Dagger Technique - Rank: C〉 to you.]
[Accept?]
Juda accepted without hesitation. He could switch to a better dagger technique later. Right now, his skill slots only held Shadow Swordsmanship and Heresy Arts, so he wanted to fill more.
[Acquired 〈Mercenary-Style Left-Hand Dagger Technique - Rank: C〉.]
[〈Mercenary-Style Left-Hand Dagger Technique〉 Workmanship rises from 1 to 3.]
[Mercenary-Style Left-Hand Dagger Technique] - Rank: C / Workmanship: 3/10
A left-hand dagger technique learned only by skilled mercenaries.
Workmanship increases accuracy correction for dagger throws and slightly boosts attack power.
At Workmanship 5+, draw speed increases, and agility rises slightly after throwing.
As a skill with no special conditions to learn, its effects were straightforward. Simple accuracy boost and attack power increase—that was it. But learning a skill wasn't just for those effects. The real value was knowing how to use it. From grip to power distribution and snap on throw, detailed info flooded his mind. "Flooded" was apt; it really felt that way.
However, like with Shadow Swordsmanship or Heresy Arts, knowing how and having experience were worlds apart. First, as she said, he skimmed the manual, then mimicked her instructions and threw the dagger. After about an hour, Gentia was stunned.
Starting with real blades risked injury, but she'd had him throw them just to feel it out—to show the difference from practice ones. But what was this? After one read-through, his grip and stance matched Mercenary-Style Left-Hand Dagger Technique perfectly.
Identical to the manual. It was his first time, so some clumsiness was expected. But the form was flawless, so suspecting something, she had him throw a few more. The first few bounced off the handle, but with repetition, it stabilized, and soon the dagger's tip embedded precisely in the board.
Incredible talent. Pretending nonchalance, she pointed out minor flaws to keep him throwing, unconsciously sharing various tips. When she snapped out of it, an hour had passed. In that time, Juda had become quite proficient. He learned frighteningly fast. He hadn't shown perfect accuracy yet, but at this rate, a month at most, three or four weeks at least, and he'd handle it masterfully.
'This kid... a real genius?'
It wasn't just "fast."
She recalled learning dagger arts. Awkwardly gripping with her right hand, mimicking Kaseun. Right-hand starts were basics. Even so, it took two days to get used to form and power—fast for her. The mercenaries praised the talented genius girl. Of course, with far better ones around, she'd thought it joking.
Once basics clicked, left-hand training began. Unfamiliar hand meant three or four days longer than right—nonstop throwing, minus meals and sleep.
Yet this kid named Juda showed this proficiency in just an hour. She briefly suspected he'd learned from Kaseun and was pretending, but that initial clumsy throw disproved it.
Pure talent from this young boy. With talent like this, no envy or jealousy—just awe as she watched him throw. He looked fatigued now; his left hand trembled holding the dagger.
"Stop."
Juda halted, catching his breath.
"That's enough. Tomorrow we run the forest; rest up."
"...Yes."
He replied with a hint of regret. Throwing daggers was fun. Frustrating if it didn't click, but visibly improving with each throw made it addictive.
"Bring those over here."
He approached with the four daggers, and she held a brick-shaped whetstone. Sitting on the sofa, she patted the spot beside her. Juda sat with the daggers, placing them on the table in front.
"Unless it's top-grade material, most weapons dull quick after short use like this."
She held up one dagger, showing the edge. As she said, just throwing had slightly rounded it.
"No good weapon? We maintain 'em steady. Whetstone's essential. So today, whetstone basics. You know the fundamentals, right? From kitchen knives."
Juda nodded.
"But not proper edge-setting. Know how?"
"No."
"Not hard. Just tedious. Watch."
Shhk, shhk—the grating sound briefly filled the air, and the edge sharpened in seconds. He knew whetstone use from kitchen knives, but this ease was new. She had him sharpen the remaining three. On the second, a new system message appeared.
[Fully comprehended sharpening blades with a whetstone, acquiring Talent 〈Edge Sharpening〉.]
[Talents develop from repeated special actions or meeting conditions.]
[Grants action bonuses only; no stat bonuses like Skills or Traits.]
Known info, so he skimmed and dismissed. Talents came naturally from repetition anyway. Unlike Skills/Traits with acquisition limits, but low expectations either way. Nice to have, missed if not. Finishing the last edge, she praised him, stroking his head. Her touch felt good.
"Alright, that's it for today? Sweaty, so wash up again—annoying, but—then bed."
Stretching, she stood, waved goodnight, and entered her room. Sleepiness hit Juda too; he set the dagger on the table, washed, and went to bed.
Maybe because he wasn't alone, or the head pat—tonight, he'd sleep well.
========== Author's Note ==========
I really like rainy days. Annoying if caught without an umbrella outside, but the sound of rain from a window at home? Perfect.
Quiet rainy nights, words flow weirdly well.
Sigh—
No rain now, though. Sleepy's hitting. Off to bed.
Sweet dreams, all.
Hope we don't meet in dreamland. Haha.
Q. Is the Nordic side story done?
A. Yeah... Someday, right??? Gotta write it, but laziness... Drool.