A Warning in Reply
Elia had always possessed naturally keen eyes. She first realized this on the very first day she began training under Zenle. She had simply been mimicking what she saw, but when Zenle told her that such a thing was not something an ordinary person could do, Elia finally understood just how exceptional her vision was.
If she simply wanted to see something, nearly everything came into clear view. How to position one's stance, where an opponent was channeling their strength and where they intended to strike, and even the faint, shimmering something that glowed within the adults' bodies. All of it was laid bare before Elia's eyes.
Of course, simply seeing something once did not mean she could immediately replicate it. To copy a movement properly, she needed to watch it at least ten times. For the intricate, aura-infused stances like Kael's swordsmanship, that number could climb to dozens or even hundreds of repetitions. Even so, Kael had praised her as a genius when she managed it, and Elia had been overjoyed enough to feel like she was floating.
At any rate, the duels Elia had witnessed with her gifted eyes were mostly the daily matches between Kael and Zenle. Even for her, those bouts moved at a speed her eyes could barely follow. Aside from those, she had only ever seen high-level sword fights under Zenle's guidance—contests between fighters at least on the level of Gold Plate mercenaries or renowned duelists.
……They're so slow.
That was why Elia could only think that as she watched the duel unfolding below between the Gold Plate mercenary and the newcomer. To her, a duel meant the kind of fight Kael and Zenle put on. At the very least, it needed to be between Gold Plate mercenaries for her to find any enjoyment in watching. Every movement carried its own technique, every attack held meaning, and together they formed a proper exchange. Through that, each fighter learned something from the other. Wasn't that the essence of a duel?
But that person…… doesn't even know how to swing a sword properly.
Yet in Elia's eyes, the newcomer charging at the Gold Plate mercenary was nothing more than a complete beginner who could not even swing a sword correctly. His movements were somewhat formalized, but riddled with unnecessary motions and pointless actions. If the Gold Plate mercenary pressed him just a little harder, it would not be strange for the newcomer to go tumbling down.
If the newcomer had heard this assessment, he would have every right to feel wronged. After all, anyone who trained at the swordsmanship halls found in every village would be considered a prodigy at his level of skill. It was only natural he would feel indignant when such words came from Elia, who trained under Kael—the man regarded as a legend among swordsmen—watched Kael and the knight-commander's duels every single day, and had been born with naturally gifted eyes. And if he learned that these words came from an eight-year-old girl, he would likely feel both shame and fury.
……This is boring.
But since that scenario would never happen anyway, what mattered more right now was the fact that this duel held little entertainment for Elia herself. She had come to take the test to relieve her boredom while her mother and father, Luina and Kael, were out looking at houses. Yet the test itself was dull. At this rate, the stories Martin had been telling her just moments ago would have been far more interesting.
Unable to endure it any longer, Elia finally spoke up while watching the duel.
"……It's no fun because they're too weak."
At her words, both Martin and Zenle turned toward her at the same time. Zenle wore an expression that said she had half-expected this, while Martin looked amused, a smile playing on his lips.
"Wahah! I never thought I'd hear something like that. What part did you find boring, little miss?"
"……There are too many unnecessary movements when they swing their swords. They stand out so much that it's not fun to watch."
"Whoa…… Is it because she's Master's disciple? Her eye for detail is spot-on."
Martin looked slightly surprised by Elia's answer, as if he had not expected her to point that out.
"The young lady watches my matches with Master every day. And I suppose it's also because I only ever showed her high-level sword fights. Her eyes are so sharp that I always took her to see popular matches, worried she might pick up bad habits from watching mediocre ones."
"Hoh…… Her eyes are that sensitive? This is promising for her future."
Eyes were one of the most important innate talents in combat. Martin added this remark while carefully studying Elia's gaze. He leaned his bearded face close and met her eyes. Feeling the weight of that intense stare, Elia slightly averted her gaze. Only then did Martin seem to realize he had come on too strong; he pulled back with an awkward laugh.
"Ah, sorry about that, little miss. I got curious without thinking. By the way, that newcomer is already considered a rough gem among new recruits. If even someone like him looks weak to you, you must be pretty confident in your own skills, huh?"
His question seemed to ask whether she thought she could win in a fight. Elia turned her eyes toward the newcomer still dueling below. Because her muscles had not fully developed yet, she had no confidence in winning a direct contest of strength. But dodging his attacks and countering? That seemed entirely possible.
Shhhk───
The more she focused on his sword, the clearer the visualized path of his attack became. At the same time, the surrounding time seemed to slow without end. She could see something shimmering and glowing spreading from the man's solar plexus throughout his entire body. Elia still did not know what that something was called, but she understood that the places where it appeared most strongly were where power was being channeled. And the direction it flowed, where it gathered, and thus the trajectory of the swung attack—all of it appeared endlessly slow and clear to her eyes.
This was the world as Elia saw it.
After all, a fight was not simply won by the stronger person. That was something everyone knew. If she could read all those paths, dodge them, and counterattack, then perhaps she could win. It was only imagination, but the image formed so vividly in her mind. If she tried, it felt like she really could do it.
"……Honestly speaking, yes. I think I could win if I did well."
When Elia gave this slightly affirmative answer, Martin burst into hearty laughter once more.
"Kahahaha!! You've got plenty of confidence! That's how a warrior should be! Especially as the daughter of Master and Lady Luina, you ought to have at least this much confidence!"
Martin looked at Elia with a satisfied gaze, his hearty laughter showing his approval. Then he glanced down at the testing grounds and furrowed his brow as if pondering something.
"Let's see…… Who would be a good match?"
"What? Hold on, Martin. You're not seriously thinking of pitting the young lady against those newcomers, are you?"
"Huh? Of course I am. We won't be using real swords, so don't worry. If they use training weapons, she won't get seriously hurt. Besides, warriors are supposed to learn combat through real fights."
"You crazy bastard……! Do you really want to die at Master's hands? And the young lady is still only eight years old! Even a wooden sword could hurt her if it hits wrong!"
Zenle shouted in alarm upon realizing Martin was serious about arranging a match between Elia and a newcomer. After all, Elia had only just begun learning proper swordsmanship three days ago. As her teacher, Zenle's worry came first above all else.
"Hey now, I think it'll be fine. Are you saying you don't believe your own disciple can win?"
"That's……"
The implication that she did not trust her disciple. Zenle looked at Elia once, then denied it after a brief silence.
"……Of course she could win if she tried, but there's always the chance something goes wrong. Master sent me here to play with the young lady, and if she gets hurt, neither you nor I will get out of this unscathed."
"If it comes to that, you or I can just step in and stop the match. Besides, look at the little miss—she's practically itching to fight right now."
Martin pointed at Elia, whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation, as if driving the final nail into Zenle's persistent objections. And indeed, Elia was brimming with expectation at Martin's words. Over the past two days since she started learning swordsmanship, Kael and Zenle had each sparred with her once, but those matches had been so heavily handicapped that she could not escape the feeling they were going easy on her. Of course, because the two of them were so overwhelmingly strong, even those adjusted bouts had been fun when she gave it her all. But still, being able to fight a truly serious opponent—someone who would come at her with genuine intent—was something she could not help but look forward to. If she could fight at full strength against an opponent she had a real chance of beating, it would surely be even more exciting than sparring with Kael and Zenle.
That was what Elia thought, and so she waited in anticipation. Watching her eyes shine with that hope, Zenle let out a sigh.
"Haa…… Just how far are you planning to trouble me, young lady……"
"Ah, is it not allowed, Master……?"
"……No, if that is what you wish, then it should be fine. Judging from the young lady I have seen during our training, I believe she has a good chance of winning. However, if I see even the slightest sign that she might get hurt, I will stop the match, so you must give it your all."
"Yes! Master!"
If she had come here to play anyway, then her own enjoyment came first. Though Zenle looked troubled in many ways, she still gave her permission, and Elia beamed as she threw herself into Zenle's arms. Normally she did not act spoiled, but Elia knew that when it came to expressing gratitude to adults, nothing worked better than a bit of cuteness, so she did not hesitate in moments like this.
As expected, when she smiled and hugged her tightly, Zenle's face softened for a brief moment, a faint smile appearing. That sight must have looked quite happy, because Martin, standing beside them, cast a glance filled with envy.
But that lasted only a moment. After clearing his throat and looking away, Martin pointed downward at the newcomers who were now moving on to the next test and said,
"Then let's decide who would be a suitable opponent for the little miss after they finish the test. That all right with you, little miss?"
"Yes, sounds good."
Without the slightest hesitation, Elia nodded at the prospect of a serious match and pressed herself back against the terrace railing. Meanwhile, the second newcomer's mercenary test began at the examiners' signal.
"Test start!"
"Come at me, newbie."
"Here I go! Haaah!!"
With a spirited shout, the newcomer wielding a greatsword charged toward the Gold Plate mercenary. At the same time, something else was about to begin near the mercenary guild.
The underworld's strategist, who had suffered a blow from the warning Martin had issued two days ago in the form of a request, was now sending a warning in reply to Martin. Or more precisely, a clash between underworld organizations that would 'inevitably' attack the guild building was about to begin.